


The Detective's Daughter

by itz_blitz_tyme



Category: Duskwood (Everbyte Video Game)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Blood and Violence, Childhood Trauma, Dark Past, Explicit Language, F/M, Falling In Love, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, Past Child Abuse, Psychological Trauma, Sexual Content, Sexual Humor, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:14:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 47,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28761609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itz_blitz_tyme/pseuds/itz_blitz_tyme
Summary: When I told him that I learned from the best; my dad, a famous detective, I meant it.Plus I knew how it felt to be a survivor from a kidnapping and that's why I was helping him and all of those friends find Hannah.I just didn't think I would fall for the hacker in the process.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	1. Introduction

When I got the text message, I didn't know what to expect. 

"Help them find me" was all it said. 

I thought it was a joke from one of the guys I worked with. I didn't know how they got my number because I had asked my boss not to give it out to anyone but I really did think it was them. 

So I ignored it and went back watching my Doctor Who show. And fell asleep in the process. 

But just hours later, I received another text message and this time, it had been a group chat from this guy who called himself Thomas. He had tried to tell me that my number had been on some message his girlfriend sent to him. 

Problem was, she was missing and so was her phone. 

That had put me on high alert immediately and I switched off my TV to pay attention to the text messages that I was now apart of.

I did not forget the text message I had gotten a few hours before. 

I had listened to what they had to say about everything and I had been skeptical about the whole thing. These strangers from a town called Duskwood had contacted me because my number had been on a missing girl's phone. 

Somehow she knew me and had my number but I don't know her. I didn't know Hannah. I had never seen her before in my life when they showed me her pictures. 

I didn't want to get involved in this. 

This whole thing had been crazy. These people were trying to find Hannah all on their own when it should be left to the police. 

I almost said no, that I couldn't get involved in this whole thing. 

But.....

What made me say yes, that I would help was a past memory of mine that still haunted me to this day. And still does haunt me to the point where I am almost agoraphobic. 

A long time ago, at least ten years ago, I had been a kidnapped child. 

If it wasn't for my dad, who would never stop looking for me until I was back in his arms, safe and sound, I probably would have never been seen again. I would have been dead or worse. 

Ten years ago, when I was just 12 years old, I had been kidnapped by some men, for perverse reasons and reasons against my dad. They had taken me to get back at him for something he had been doing. 

The thing was, he had once been a police officer, turned Private Detective, and he had been very good at what he did. He did various jobs for a right price, sometimes gave people discounts depending their stories of why they needed his help. 

The men he had been investigating had been rumored to be in a drug trade, as well as other things. It was rumored that they were part of some mafia type gang as well. He had been hired to track these men, find out what kind of drugs they were selling and what other dark deeds they might have been doing. 

Problem was, when they recieved wind he had been on them, they immediately retaliated. 

And that was taking me as hostage.

I remembered everything that happened to me and I wish I didn't. It still haunted me after ten years. Nightmares always reminded me what I went through when I was kidnapped. Things I didn't tell anyone but my dad when he got me back. It had taken him a long time to get me to tell him about everything those men put me through. It was why the trial took so long to finally put those men in prison where they belonged. 

What I went through, I didn't want anyone to ever go through. It was why I said yes though it scared me when I did. 

But then.....something happened that made me NOT regret it at all, even though I had been so scared when I told those friends yes. 

I met him. 

I had been confused when I suddenly found spyware installed on my phone, finding myself reading a conversation between two of the friends. It felt wrong to read Jessy and Dan's conversation but I had been so intrigued by what they were saying. And more so intrigued that I had spyware on my phone. 

And that's when He started to talking to me. 

The Hacker. 

At first, it had startled me that he would tell me he was the one to put it on my phone and my first words to him were, "Are you a hacker?" 

Judging by his words, he seemed amused I would just call him that outright. 

I knew it was wrong to pique my interest further. But it was.....exhilarating talking to him. There was just something about this "Hacker" that caught my attention right away. I knew talking to him was wrong. He was a hacker and usually that meant a criminal of some kind. A thief of information, but still a criminal. 

People who broke the laws were the kind of people I tried to avoid because of my dad. They were the wrong kinds of people I lived the past ten years trying to avoid because of my past, though then again, I avoid everyone. 

But.....

I could not deny that the Hacker had a certain charm to him, even as he asked me for help to finding the missing girl. He apparently had seen it happen but he never told me how or what he saw. 

He would just give me clues to follow and even gave my phone ways to decode files on Hannah's cloud in her phone so we could find her. 

I should have realized what would happen when I decided to play around with this guy a little bit. 

I shouldn't have done it. 

But there was just something about having a little glowing screen being the wall between me and him. I acted completely out of character, acting as if I was confident with myself and even sometimes made teasing remarks at him. 

I talked with all of Hannah's friends and I was pretty suspicious of all of them as things went. But I couldn't deny that as I talked with them, finding out things about them as we tried to find out what happened to Hannah. 

But the Hacker......I don't know how to even describe it with him. 

It just didn't help when I got that first threatening call from the so called kidnapper. It should have scared me because it meant this guy had my cell number but the way yhe freak spoke, trying to disguise his voice just fueled my determination of seeing things through. 

Even though he had seemed to kidnap Hannah and was doing who knows what to her, I couldn't help but think he was a complete idiot. 

It's why I wasn't so worried throughout the entire time of going on with clues with Hannah's friends. I didn't feel a threat with this guy. Nothing like what happened to me, this wasn't the same. 

If this guy really kidnapped Hannah, it must have been an accident or something because the way he acted, it just didn't feel like something bad was going to happen to her. 

On the other hand, my talks with the Hacker was a lot more interesting. I decided to play into it, helping him out. I was curious of how all of this would play out. I figured if I could help him and those friends find her, it was worth my time in isolation. 

But something had shifted inside of me. 

As I talked with the Hacker, teasing him some and asking him questions about himself and he humored me by answering minor things, I felt something I never did before. 

Especially when I jokingly answered his small talk question about being on a deserted island, and even asking why kinds of programs he used for hacking. 

I knew it had taken him by surprise. He even openly admitted that it had. But he had answered and then seemed sheepish when he did because he had answered personal things about himself when he was trying not to. 

Later down the line, as we uncovered things about what was going on in Duskwood, I.....did something that I would never do with someone that I didn't even know his name. 

I flirted with him, making teasing remarks, giving him silly emoji faces of flirtation and it seemed to fluster him a bit. 

I swear, I could feel him blushing through that small screen as a wide grin spread out on my face. I almost laughed so loud to myself when he asked me if I was dating someone and I teased him a little bit by honestly telling him I wasn't and asked him why. 

He didn't have to say anything from there. I knew it deep inside. He was definitely interested in me and even though it was dangerous lines I was crossing, I felt the same. 

In the past ten years, I haven't really smiled or laughed in such a long time since.....well.....since I went through all of that past stuff of mine. 

I barely even twitched my lips in amusement in the past ten years. 

But talking to him, for the first time in ten years, I truly smiled and even felt even happier whennhe admitted the same. I made him laugh many times and it had been a long time since he ever did. It felt right and wrong all at the same time. 

This was asking for trouble and I knew it was. I spent so much time hiding in my apartment because of my past, afraid of everything that was outside. I had nightmares for years upon years, waking up screaming and begging for help when I wasn't locked in that dark basement anymore. I avoided people because of my fear.

But I finally caved and asked him for his name. And when he asked me why, I admitted it. I liked him. 

And he told me his name. 

Jake. 

His name was Jake and it made my heart flutter as I felt my smile spread wider than it ever did. He trusted me with his name. 

And I knew then, I was getting myself into trouble and yet, I didn't seem to care at all. 

Jake and I talked about many things as I talked with everyone in Duskwood, forming friendships that I knew wouldn't work out because I was such a hermit. He told me a few things and I knew he was hiding so much more from me. 

But for the first time, my walls of self comfort came down. 

Especially when the kidnapper showed me a video of Cleo out jogging in the Duskwood forest. 

It had scared me so bad and while I wanted nothing more than just to tell the others what had happened, Jake asked me not to. I had been torn in between him and the group of friends but I felt like if he could break down my walls and make me trust him, I could put faith into what he wanted me to do. 

His words made sense because it really had been empty threats from the kidnapper. He was trying to scare me and it worked fantastically. 

But for some reason, Jake's words soothed my fear. I didn't know what it was when he told me that I didn't have to be scared, but it felt like he had put a warm blanket around me. 

We were separated by a small glass screen but I felt safe with him for the first time. 

And when Hannah's sister, Lilly tried to turn on me, pissed because the kidnapper sent Cleo the video and they found I had been getting threatening calls from this freak, she tried to vote me out of their group. 

I almost had a panic attack then as I fought tooth and nail to stay in the group and it wasn't just because I wanted to help Jake find Hannah and help them, it was because I knew what Hannah's probable fear was right then. 

She was kidnapped and probably hurt and terrified and here, Lilly was trying to boot me out. I didn't blame her because she was terrified for her sister. She thought I was a threat because it was me the kidnapper was so focused on. 

But when Jake interfered with a vote Lilly made, expressing that the vote was not going to happen and no matter what, I was going to stay because he said so, I once again felt like he was somewhat protecting me. 

I knew it was about finding Hannah and while I didn't know why he was so adamant about finding her, I couldn't bring myself to feel any envy of her. 

I wanted to find her too. 

I wanted to help her in any way I could, help Jake find her, help my friends from Duskwood to find her and bring this kidnapper to justice. 

And then Jake dropped a bomb on me. 

He told me that we couldn't do this dance with each other. He said it was too dangerous for him to get involved with me and I was too dangerous for him. I'm not going to lie but it had hurt when he told me our feelings for one another wasn't right. 

But.....I understood better than he might have thought. 

He was right. 

It was too dangerous. 

And eventually he told me why. 

He was wanted by the government because he found some things he shouldn't have during some hacking excursions he was doing. He was on the run and in hiding from the law. 

I shouldn't have feelings for him but I couldn't help it. I did have feelings and I understood so much better than he thought I did. 

I never said it to him but he wasn't the only one running and hiding. I could have told him about my past but our conversations grew shorter because he said he had pursuers watching for him. 

Lilly just made things worse for the both of us because she had released a video about how we were the ones behind Hannah's kidnapping. She had released my name and my number on the internet and that put me completely in hypersensitive panic mode. 

Even with me screaming her to take it down, and eventually calming but a little when Jake finally confronted her with something that made her immediately take down the video. 

It still had me shaking from complete anxiousness and peering out my window as I talked with Jake for the last time. 

What really made me calm down to where I wasn't shaking so violently was when he said he had no intention of ever getting caught because if he ever did, I would be taken away from him. 

That calmed me a whole lot more than he realized and it made me smile. 

And then he disappeared, vanished with no words. 

It took a while for me to find out why. I had sent text messages, one after the other, hoping he would answer. He never did and it sent me panicking again. I hoped he didn't get caught. 

Eventually Lilly talked to me after that mash down we had and we began looking into some things. She was hiding something from me but eventually she began telling me of how she knew about Jake and how he had befriended Hannah. 

It didn't much to figure out that Hannah had definitely fallen in love with Jake in their time talking to each other but he had pulled away, kind of like how he did with me. 

Sort of anyway. 

Lilly and I looked into some things, found some clues and eventually lead to thenhidden truth about just who Jake actually was. And it was pretty shocking, even to me. 

Jake was Hannah's and Lilly's Half brother. 

They never knew but he did. He had contacted Hannah a while ago because he did find out the truth about his mom and Hannah and Lilly's dad had an affair with one another. 

He found out and tried to kindle a sibling relationship with Hannah without really explaining who he was. He never meant to let Hannah develop feelings for him and that was why he stopped talking to her. 

He never told her the truth for some reason. 

But to find that secret video, one that was so hard locked with my name as the password, Lilly's and I found out the truth and we both made a pact that no matter what, we would do what we can to protect Jake while searching for Hannah. 

Together, we unleashed many from the internet, those who harrassed me because of Lilly's video about Jake and me, we sent them out into the world with fake sightings that would scatter Jake's appearances. 

So far......it was working. 

I think. 

Nonetheless, Lilly in the end, asked me who I really was because I openly admitted that Jake and I might have......sort of developed feelings for one another. 

So I told her. 

My name is Ember Danes, daughter of Stephen Danes, a rather infamous Detective in the United States. 

I was in hiding in because I was being hunted down by the men who kidnapped me ten years ago, who had murdered my father four years ago and now I was in a Witness Protection Program until the final trials were over that would decide to execute the men for murdering my father or release them. 

That's who I am.

And the attack on Jessy fueled my rage enough to make a drastic decision, that I would have never make if it weren't for Jake. He gave me courage that I haven't had in ten years.

I am going to Duskwood and when I get there, this kidnapper better be running for his miserable life because as soon as I get there, I am going to make him regret ever even looking at Hannah. I am my father's daughter; the Detective's daughter and I will find him and I will find Hannah, alive. 

The Man Without A Face better watch his back because I'm coming for him.


	2. Duskwood

The thing about being in the Witness Protection Program is that whoever was in it did have a Handler and Protector who kept an eye on the one that the program was protecting. 

That included me. 

So imagine what my Handler had to say when I told him that I was going to Duskwood to find a missing girl. 

Yeah.

My Handler, Herb Dennison about had a hernia. 

But I knew if I didn't at least tell him where I was, the poor old man would have a heart attack when I wasn't in my safehouse when he came to check up on me for weekly check ins. 

I told him what I was doing because he would have found out anyway by looking into my phone's systems. He would see everything I did on my phone. He would see my conversations and text messages so he would know everything. 

So I didn't hide it. 

And I did it as I was boarding the flight to Duskwood, because if I didn't, he would be charging down the airport terminals to hunt my ass down to kick it. 

I did reassure him that I wasn't going alone. 

I had my dog, Grim with me. 

Grim was my eight year old German Shepherd that I've had since after my kidnapping experience. My dad got him for me when I was having massive panic attacks. He was once a police dog that my dad worked with and even trained since he was a puppy so he knew me well. He was my service dog and I did have a permit to have him with me everywhere I go.

Grim and I have been through a lot together. He had always been at my side, even after dad had died. He was one that kept me calm when I woke up from nightmares. 

And even at one point, he had saved my life from an assassin sent by the gang I was against. An assassin who killed my father as he tried to kill me. 

As it was, my Handler, Herb was a family friend, almost like an uncle to me, growing up. He once was my father's partner on the police force and we were close so I did feel bad that I was doing this to him. 

But I felt like I needed to. 

A girl was missing and the Duskwood Police were not doing much to help find her. Her friends were desperate and this cynical kidnapper had already proven that he would hurt them if they cornered him like we did. 

I wasn't doing any good in my safehouse. I was trying but it wasn't enough. I had uncovered a lot while there but it was getting us nowhere. 

I was my father's daughter and I wanted to make him proud by doing what he used to. He had taught me the ropes as I grew up and that's why I knew what questions to ask those friends. I followed his example from all of the times I watched him work and even sometimes eavesdropped on some of his cases. 

I had been a victim before so I knew what to expect from Hannah when we finally found her. But I couldn't do that from my safehouse. 

I knew I was taking this risk. 

But I couldn't sit by and watch from my little screen anymore. I had to be there, reading the emotions off of everyone. I had to be looking right at their faces when I repeated my questions for them. 

And yes, while I was the one that the kidnapper wanted to hurt because of how close I got to him from my safe zone, and yes, I would probably be the one he comes after because I would be there, within his reach. 

But I had been taught well by my dad and Herb. 

And Grim did bite hard when I gave him the code word he knew ever so well. He had ripped into the assailant when he killed my dad. The guy was still scarred for life in prison for killing my dad and trying to kill me.

Besides, I owed it to Jake. 

Jake.......

Even after that last hidden video addressed to me and Lilly, I still haven't heard from him. I haven't received a text or any sign of if he was okay. 

Except for one thing.......the only thing I could think of and to be honest, I didn't mind for once. 

Before I made my final decision to go to Duskwood, I had woken up to a soft knock on my door and like all dogs, Grim had gone barking at whoever was behind it. I had been nervous about opening the door to see who was knocking. 

I didn't get many visitors. 

Most of my mail, if I get any, or any supplies to put in my safehouse usually came from Herb and we had a special knock to let me know it was him so I could let him in. 

But this.....this surprised me. 

A young man, probably 16 years old was standing there with a small bundle of roses. He looked nervous and it was probably because of Grim. But he said to me he was delivering them to me. 

I had been confused about who would send me flowers. 

I even asked him who they were from and he handed me a small card before hurrying away after saying he didn't know. It had been ordered that morning by an untraceable number and paid with Paypal online. It made me scared but when I looked at the card, my fears melted away. 

A simple letter and a few words with it. 

It read: I'm ok and I miss you from J. 

Somehow I knew it was Jake. 

He knew where I was. He must have done his hacking excursion to figure it out and sent me these. He took a pretty big risk to send me these. But it seemed to melt away my fears about him being caught. 

Nonetheless that was the final push for me to decide that I would be going to Duskwood. 

I owed him that.

He might not even realized it but he had given me something more than he thought. He gave me courage and I was going to use that courage to save his sister. He probably wouldn't like what I was about to do but I was going to still do it. 

So here I am. 

On the plane, going to Duskwood with my service dog beside me, getting a few nasty Karen looks from people but I had permission to have him there with me and I didn't care what everyone else thought. 

I only let Herb know what I was doing and no one else. 

Not yet anyway. 

Not until I was up in the air, I opened my messages and sent a simple one to Jake through our chat box, though I wasn't sure if he was going to get it. 

Me: I'm going to find Hannah. Stay safe, keep them away from you and come back to me. See you when you get back. 

And then I began to rest for my new dangerous adventure I was putting myself on.

It was a few days of getting off planes, taking buses and taxis later and then getting a rental car so I could carry all of my bags and my dog when I found myself right in front of that town sign, smiling as I took it in.

It was exactly like what Jessy showed me when she took me on a virtual tour of Duskwood. The wooden sign, the forest road leading into town. I knew it wouldn't be long before my appearance would be around town. It was gossip town and these people lived on gossip so I knew it wouldn't be long before my friends from Duskwood would find out that I was here.

Driving just down the road, I saw the motel that I had always been told about and pulled into the parking lot. I looked it over, smiling at the quaintness of the small building. 

Painted white building with blue doors for each room, I felt my smile widened as I looked right at the office for the motel. 

I wondered what Lilly would say when she saw me. 

Truth be told, none of the Duskwood friends had ever seen what I look like, for I never showed them. All of the times that Jessy and even Cleo had video called me, I had sat in a dark room with my screen barely lighting my face. 

They never saw that I was some 5 foot 6 young woman with dyed black hair and hot pink highlights. They never saw my hazel green eyes and angular face, made up with dark eye shadows. They didn't know that I had a small scar on my right eyebrow from cracking my head open at age 7 after rough housing with some boys of the same age. 

They didn't know I had three piercings in both ears with dangling crystals or was wearing a black choker with a silver star on it.

They didn't know that my style was probably going to stand out in Duskwood as if someone had suddenly activated a flare right in the center of town. 

Boy, were people going to be talking when they saw me. 

But nonetheless, I parked my car, looked at Grim and told him to stay. He whined at me. He didn't like me leaving him behind but I wasn't going to be long. I was just going to register at the office and check for pet fees for staying at the hotel. 

And then, I stepped out of my car. 

I had noticed that no one was around to stare at me as I got out, straightening my green mesh shirt and fixing my black skinny jeans from driving so long to get her and even zipping my knee length black boots back uo because driving with shoes on for long hours was a pain in ass. 

I just put a smile on my face and walked towards the office with my black bag over my shoulder that held all of my valuables, and secret taser gun I had a permit for. 

Thank God the airport attendants hadn't boticed it when I came into the country. Someone definitely had been too tired for BS right then.

Either way, I entered the office and saw her. 

She was exactly like how I remember from her cloud pictures. 

Long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail with steel grey eyes, pretty face and wearing a nice white blouse and skirt, Lilly Donfort. 

I felt my grin widen as I walked in and started to approach the desk. She hadn't noticed me right away because her back was to me and she was talking on the landline. It sounded like she was making reservations for someone or something. 

But when I approached the desk and started to tap my black painted nails against the counter, she had merely tilted her head but continued to talk for a moment to whoever she was talking to before thanking them and turning around to face me. 

Her face fell when she looked at me, noticing my punk style right away. 

I just grinned at her as I waited patiently for her to blink out of her surprise before forcing a smile. 

"Hello! Welcome to Duskwood Motel! How may I help you?" Lilly asked forcing politeness. 

I almost wanted to laugh but I pulled out my wallet from my black bag. "I'd like to make a reservation if I can. Do you have any rooms?" I asked keeping to my own politeness that usually took people by surprise when they met me. 

Lilly did look surprised for a second but nodded as she began typing at a computer. "Yes, we do have a few rooms open. One or two beds?" She asked and I just answered by holding up one finger but kept my smile. "Smoking or non-smoking room?" 

I made a face. "Non-smoking please. But.....I do have a dog. Is there a pet policy or pet fee?" I asked just to be sure. 

Lilly's eyes lit up a little as she smiled but she nodded. "We do charge an extra fee for pets. Sorry. Cleaning fee." She stated but she definitely looked curious. "Big or little?" She asked and it was obvious she was asking for herself. 

I just smiled. "Big. He's a German Shepherd but he's a good boy. He's very well trained and friendly, most of the time." I said with a light laugh. 

Lilly just smiled and she definitely interested in my dog bylut she went on to typing it into the computer. "Name?"

I decided to be a little smart ass and play this out a little longer. I was enjoying this a little too much, so why not? 

"His name is Grim." I said with a grin. 

That took her by surprise by then she caught on and laughed. 

I laughed with her but feinted embarrassment. "Oh, you mean my name, not my dog's." I said laughing with her. 

"I do not want to know why his name is Grim but yes. Your name please." Lilly said laughing now completely at ease with me. 

I just grinned and plopped my chin into my palm as I rested my elbow on the counter, looking at her right in the eyes. "Ember Danes." I dropped 8t just like that. 

For a second, Lilly started typing that in but then she stiffened and paled as she looked right me with complete surprise. "Wait.....what?" She asked with wide eyes. 

My grin could have matched the Chesire Cat's grin from Alice in Wonderland but I winked at her. "Hi, Lilly." I said playfully. 

Lilly's mouth dropped wide open as her eyes popped wide. She seriously couldn't believe it. "Ember?!" She gasped out but her face lit up as she stared at me. 

"Uh-hum. It's me." I said still grinning but straightened for what I knew what was about to happen. 

Lilly stared for a second before she laughed and maybe squealed just a little bit before diving around the counter to practically tackling me and I caught her. "Oh my god! Ember! You're here!?" She gasped now embracing me hard and I returned it. 

But then she pulled away, looking startled as she held me at arms length.

"What are you doing here?! In Duskwood?!" She gasped now stunned. 

I just smiled at her. "Upholding a promise to you and Jake. I'm here to find Hannah." I said and I did say it with seriousness as my face fell just a little as I felt that ache in my heart as I said Jake. 

Lilly just shook hernhead, still stunned. "I can't.....why? The kidnapper.....! He.....!" She was saying. 

"Is going to get his ass kicked when I find him." I said seriously but then forced a smile as I shook my head. "I wasn't doing any good sitting around my house. I came here to help. I know the Man is looking for a fight with me so I came to pick one with him." 

Lilly just shook her head slowly. "Are you mad? When he finds out, he will......" she was saying again. 

"He will come out to play." I said forcing my smile. "It's why I brought my dog named Grim. I'm here with you, Lilly. You and the others. I'm done messing around with this guy. It's time to find Hannah." I told her.

Lilly softened as she pulled back but then she frowned. "Have....have you heard from Jake? Does he know you're here?" She asked quietly. 

I shook my head, feeling a pinch in my heart again. "I haven't really. I mean....two days ago when I decided to come out here, I did get some flowers and a note." I said before pulling out the card from my wallet to show her. 

Lilly looked at it and smiled warmly. "He's okay." She breathed. 

"For now. Our little Ring Around the Rosie's around the world with his pursuers seems to be working if I got this. But I doubt he knows I'm here. He'll probably get mad that I'm risking myself like this but I have to try." I told her. 

Lilly just smiled before diving around the counter again and began typing. "Okay! So room for one, dog, family discount!" Said brightly. 

It was my turn to be startled. 

"Fa-family discount?" 

Lilly grinned at me and winked. "You're sort of dating my brother, Ember. I mean it's not official until you actually meet him and he does what I tell him to and that's ask you out. But you're family." She said warmly. 

I smiled back at her. 

"Room 106. I'll walk you there." Lilly said now getting a keycard from a drawer and moved around the counter again.

So Lilly walked me out to my car, where she officially met my barking mutt, who took a liking to her immediately as she pet him. Especially when I gave him another code word, Friend so he wouldn't be snarling at her when we got him out. 

"The others don't know yet, do they?" Lilly asked as I was getting settled in. 

I shook my head as I put my suitcase in the closet of the small motel room. "Not yet. I'm hoping to break it to them tonight. I'm calling a friend meeting. There's something we all need to talk about and I want to be looking at everyone when I talk to them." I told her. 

Lilly just hummed and nodded. "Do you still suspect one of them?" She asked. 

I shrugged as I looked at her. "Someone knows something, Lilly. But I don't think it's one of you. After what we learned about Jake, I'm thinking it's deeper than that." I told her. 

"I'm not going to like it, am I?" Lilly asked grimacing. 

I shook my head. "No one likes bad news, Lilly. It's not going to be pretty when this does come out. But it's time to bring everyone on board about Jake. They need to know what Hannah found out." 

Lilly paled. "You think.....she knew about Jake?" She asked breathlessly. "Do you suspect my dad now?" She asked worriedly. 

"Unfortunately, I do. And I think she did find out about Jake. So yeah, I know you won't like it but your dad is now on the suspects list." I said apologetically.

Lilly didn't look happy but she didn't look angry either. She just looked sad. "Well, he did lie about his affair with Jake's mom. Makes me wonder what he's lied about." She said sadly.

I sighed and went over to hug her. "I'm sorry. But we got to remember. Hannah's life is at stake. We have to find her. No matter what. No matter who did it. It's about getting Hannah back." I reminded her. 

Lilly nodded slowly but smiled as she returned my hug. "I'm glad you're here, Ember. I can't.....I can't do this by myself." She said and her breath did hitch. 

I smiled sadly but nodded. "And you won't have to." I told her before clearing my throat. "Okay. So if you wouldn't mind, can you call everyone so we can meet up? Tell Richy no excuses. He's got to close up shop early so we can meet up." 

Lilly smiled as she was already taking out her phone as I had been talking. "Where are we meeting?" She asked as she began texting everyone in a group chat. 

"The lamp post with Jake's red eye sticker. One hour." I simply said and she just smiled and agreed.


	3. Truth

One hour at the lamp post was two hours before sunset. 

Lilly had made the call and gave all of her friends directions to where the lamp post was and I stood by it, waiting with her and Grim at my side, taking in the surroundings. 

It was so pretty here in Duskwood. 

Rolling hills of vast forest, trees for miles and even a river far off in the distance. This place was gorgeous but with such a dark history, according to the Legends. 

This would be a nice place to live un if there wasn't such a threat like The Man Without A Face. 

I noticed a small building down one of the hills and I couldn't help but stare at it as we werenwaiting for everyone to show up. I think I briefly remember seeing that in one of Lilly's pictures when she first followed my directions that would lead us there. 

"Hey, Lilly?" I finally asked. "What's that building down there?"

Lilly turned towards me before glancing down at the building and grimacing. "Oh, that. That's the old Greene Cottage. It's got it's own history and its pretty dark. No one ever goes there because we grew up being told it's haunted. It's off limits to everyone by the town" she told me. 

"Did anyone ever look there to see if that's where Hannah was?" I asked frowning. 

"Yeah, it was searched by the police but even they didn't like being there. It's a creepy cottage but like I said, no one ever goes down there." Lilly said to me. 

I just frowned, my curiosity itching to go check it out but then Grim started growling and it tore my attention away. I turned and looked down the street with Lilly and my smile returned. 

Here they came.

All of them were making their way up to where Lilly and I waited for them. They were all coming. I recognized every one of them, even Dan was making his way up, wobbling a little from his still healing injuries from his car accident. 

The only I didn't recognize was Richy but that was because he never had any pictures of himself. But I figured it was him. Unlike everyone else, I hadn't seen Richy but now that I did, he was different from what I imagined. 

Richy was tall and thinner than I thought he would be. He almost matched Dan's height, though shorter than him. He had golden brown hair, cut nicely and a nice shaped face. He did have a good build on himself for someone who fixed cars for a living. He even dressed rather nicely for a mechanic.

But he was a good looking guy, I had to admit. He didn't look like a mechanic to be honest, more like a young teacher, wearing a nice light blue shirt and khaki pants. 

But nonetheless, everyone was here and they were looking at me with confusion when they noticed me with Lilly. 

Grim growled at them as they approached but I patted my thigh to get his attention. 

"Friends, Grim. Friends." I merely told him and he stopped growling so the whole group could come closer. 

"Hey, Lilly!" Jessy was the one to greet us first as they approached, eyeing me and my dog curiously. "Why did you want to meet us out here?" 

"And who is this?" Dan blurted out, eyeing me up and down but a slight grin was creeping up. He definitely liked my style and approved. 

I rolled my eyes but smirked at him as I planted my hands on my waist. "I see you're doing better, Dan." I remarked making him look even more curious. 

Lilly just smiled as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's Ember, guys. She's here. She just got here a few hours ago." She staed not wanting to beat around the bush at all. 

Everyone looked startled at me but Jessy was first, unsurprisingly, to squeal and rush forward to embrace me. I just grinned as I hugged her tightly.

"Wait, what?!" Thomas asked completely taken back as I pulled away from Jessy, only to greet Cleo next with an embrace. "You're Ember?! What are you doing here?!" 

I pulled away from Cleo, smiling tightly. "I'm here to help find Hannah. I owe it to all of you. I'm done messing around, Thomas. We're going to find her together." 

"Um....not to be ungrateful but why? Don't you think it's a big risk coming here?" Richy was the one to ask but he did look pleased to see me. "I mean, the kidnapper does want to hurt you." 

I merely shrugged but offered him a hug next, which he grinned and happily took it. "I know. And he's welcome to try. I'll be ready when he shows his masked face to try it." I told him. 

"Not really smart, though." Dan remarked but he was grinning either way. "A cute little thing like you, he's definitely going to try and hurt you." 

I just grinned back before motioning to Grim beside me. "Like I said, he's welcome to try. Meet my protector. Grim." I said before reaching down to scratch my dog's head. "Teeth." I stared and my dog responded by curling his lips back in a snarl. 

Dan held uo his one good hand, since his other was still healing as he stepped back. 

"You really think a dog will scare him?" Thomas asked skeptically. 

I made a motion with my hand to Grim, bringing my fingers together in a shush movement and my dog stopped snarling. But I nodded. "Grim used to be a police dog. He worked with my dad, who once was a police officer but turned Private Detective." I paused to get in my bag I was carrying and brought a hard cover book. 

A book written by my dad about Detective work and kidnappings and stalkers. He had written it some time after my own kidnapping and it did hold my story of what happened to me, as well as many other's stories. 

"This is why Hannah gave you my number, Thomas. It's why I'm involved. She knew about me because she read my father's book." I told him and slowly gave it to Thomas to examine. 

But nonetheless, everyone looked surprised as they looked at it and even took turns turning the pages to a marked page. 

Chapter one, to be precise. My Kidnapping experience. 

And when they saw the chapter title, The Kidnapping of Ember Danes, all of them looked at me in surprise and I smiled tightly.

"You.....you were kidnapped?" Richy asked and did look regretful. 

I slowly nodded as I folded my arms around myself. I could feel my anxiety starting to rise but I knew they had to know. "Ten years ago, going on eleven. I was 12. A gang my dad was investigating for the police, trying to find proof they were dealing drugs and weapons. They found out about him looking into their affairs and retaliated by kidnapping me. It's why I know what Hannah is probably feeling right now and why I am stepping in." I told them. 

They looked at me sympathetically and while that usually bothered me, it didn't with them. 

"Do we want to know what happened to you?" Dan asked quietly. 

I smiled tightly but shook my head. "Not really. All I can say is I haven't been a virgin since I was 12." I said tightly and they grimaced painfully for me. "Look it happened a long time ago and I'm not completely over it but the thing is, I'm letting you know the truth about me so you can trust me when I tell you something very serious that Lilly and I found out. We talked about it and agreed it's time to let you know."

Thomas was handing my book back to me but nodded for me to go on. 

I nodded back as I glanced at Lilly, who nodded too. "It's about Jake." I stated. 

That definitely made them all make faces as I even mentioned the Hacker who did threaten them a few times. 

"The Hacker? Seriously? You're still on about him?" Dan asked making a disgusted look. 

I gave Dan a dead look but raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you want to know or not? Because it might have something to do with why Hannah was taken." I said and that got their attention. 

"Did he do something to her?!" Thomas almost demanded. 

Both Lilly and I shook our heads immediately. We onew that accusation would come straight out. "No. Jake would never hurt Hannah. Not purposely." I immediately said. 

"How do you know that though? What if he did?" Cleo asked worriedly. 

"Because he's my half brother, Cleo." Lilly blurted out. 

Dead, stunned silence as they all stared at her. That was like a bomb blowing up in their faces and they really didn't know how to process that.

"That's what connection Jake has to Hannah and why he's been risking his very life on finding her. He found out a long time ago that he even had sisters and he did reach out to Hannah to get to know her." I explained. "He didn't tell her though who he was. He wanted her to figure it out on her own. Problem was, because he didn'ttell her, she might have developed a crush on him. She didn't know he was her brother. He stopped talking to her because of it until she called him for help. The day of her disappearance. He was on the phone with her when she was kidnapped."

Everyone stared in stunned silence. No one knew what to say. 

But after a long moment, Thomas swallowed hard before rubbing his head as if he was developing a headache. "How is....he her.....?" He was saying slowly. 

Lilly answered this time. "My dad....he cheated on my mom with another woman. Jake's mom. We don't know how old he is but he's got to be around Hannah's age. Jake told us both before he vanished." She said seriously. 

"Where is he? No one's heard from him for days now." Jessy said as she looked from me to Lilly. 

I shrugged. "I haven't heard from him either. He had no choice but to bail out. And that's another thing. I'm going to tell you something but all of us has to swear here and now that we will never speak of this again. It's to protect him." I looked right at Jessy as she was stiffening because I did entrust her with this and she knew what I was about to say. "Swear it." 

"Oh, come on....." Dan was saying. 

"Swear it, Dan!" Lilly said forcefully and she was glaring at everyone firmly. "Do this for me, guys. Please! Swear it that you will never talk about what Ember and I are about to say." 

Slowly, one by one, everyone nodded and murmured that they swore they would never tell anyone. 

"Jake is a wanted man. As you know, he is a Hacker, so he did find something within the government that they did not want out. He's on the run and in hiding. He only risked himself to try and find his sister alive." I said firmly. 

"So....he's a criminal?" Richy asked slowly. 

"Because he found something he wasn't supposed to." I said giving them all a look. "Jake is on our side. He was trying to help Hannah but he didn't trust any of you for numerous reasons." 

"He threatened us though." Thomas said making a face. 

Lilly grimaced as she looked sheepish. "Only because of me, Thomas. I was threatening Ember at the time when we needed her to find Hannah. Jake really likes her." She admitted. 

I felt my face warm as everyone looked at me. 

"Oh that's got to be so hard on you." Jessy said suddenly sympathetically and I looked at her. She did look apologetic. "You like each other but you can't be together because he's being hunted." 

I smiled tightly, feeling a tingle in my eyes but I refused to show that emotion. I just shrugged as I looked away in embarrassment. "It's what I get for falling for him and making him fall for me. Still," I shook my head, blinking rapidly to rid myself of the wetness in my eyes. "Anyway, we have a new suspect and it's so serious and so impossible to touch this one without help." 

That made everyone stiffen and straighten as we were now getting down to business. 

"Who's the scum?" Dan asked lifting his head. 

"My dad." Lilly blurted out and again, everyone was surprised. 

"Wait......your father?! You think your dad might have done something to do with Hannah's disappearance?" Cleo asked breathlessly. 

"With the whole thing about Jake, it's.....possible. We don't know for sure yet. It's why we are going to look into it." I said as I shifted my weight. "It is possible that....Hannah found out that Jake was her brother and.....she might have contacted her and Lilly's dad about it. However, that does not mingle with the fact that Hannah might had a stalker too. Jake got a hold of some sound clips from the Duskwood Psychiatrist, Dr Ulric Barrett and we did find out that she was scared because someone was following her. It just doesn't add up." I explained. 

"As it is, my dad lied about his affair with Jake's mom. Who knows what he will do to keep that secret from breaking out?" Lilly said weakly. "Afterall, this is Duskwood." 

"Ugh....this town....." Jessy said with a low whine. 

"It would be a mega scandal that would ruin your dad's reputation." Cleo said making a weak look. "This town would just.....ugh.....I can't even say it." 

"That's why we need to find out for sure." I said and I looked right at Richy. "Richy brought something to my attention once. And so did my talk with him. But I think there is someone in town that knows the secrets of Duskwood. The ultimate Secret Keeper and I think he knew the truth but wasn't telling anyone." 

"Who?" Thomas asked frowning. 

"Wait...." Jessy said slowly her eyes widening. "You think....Phil?! You think Phil knows?!" 

I just nodded. "He's a bar keeper. He did say he keeps a certain integrity with his customers. And where does everyone go when they're down in the dumps?" I paused only for a second. "To the bar, of course. And who is sometimes better at listening to troubles than therapists? A barkeeper. Who can keep secrets and has openly admitted that he knows more about the people of Duskwood than anyone else?" 

"Phil." Thomas, Richy and Dan grumbled obviously not pleased. 

"Exactly. Which is why I'm going to take up his offer to sit at his bar tonight." I said now smiling tightly. "And you are not going to like it but I think it's necessary to find out what he knows. But.....Phil Hawkins....has to be a part of the group now. I'm dragging him into this." 

"WHAT?!" Everyone exclaimed at that, shocked.


	4. Breaking the Ice

It could not be denied that no one was happy with my decision about dragging Phil Hawkins into the group and frankly, I couldn't blame them for numerous reasons. Their reasons for not wanting him in the group was because he was not a part of their group and he was a womanizer and a jerk, plus he said bad things about Hannah. 

My reason for him to be dragged into it, truth be told, was because I was curious of how he would react to a little reverse psychology I was going to throw at him. 

I even mentioned that to them and that's what got them on board, if not hesitantly. I merely pointed out that Thomas and Cleo, in a way still believed that he might have been behind Hannah's kidnapping. Richy as well but he did know that I had cleared him for just being a pervert. 

Let's face it, if Phil did see women as just objects of sex, he was going to learn a hard lesson from me and I did want to knock his ego down a little bit. 

Jessy really didn't like it but I convinced her that maybe it was something that would actually bring them closer together as brother and sister. 

As.it was, and I did find out right there, Phil did not know that Jessy had been attacked by the kidnapper. No one had told him. Not even she had. She hadn't told anyone but the group. 

So that's what I was going to use against Phil, that and the fact that he did admit to knowing a lot about the people of Duskwood. I used that excuse to get everyone on board with my plan. 

Plus.....a little blackmail wouldn't hurt to get Phil talking. 

Afterall, after putting a timeline together and figuring it out, Phil had been the last one to see Hannah before she disappeared, besides Jake. He had been the very last person she spoke to before she had been kidnapped.

How was that going to look to the police when it was brought up along the fact that Phil thought he would get between Hannah's legs when she wanted to talk to him?

Either way, tonight, I was going to make Duskwood's womanizer squirm and admit what he knew as I brought him on the case. 

Unfortunately, it was not going to be pretty with the fact that bars were strictly no pets allowed and even that had my anxiety going haywire. I hardly ever go anywhere without Grim but if I was going to go to the Aurora, I had to leave him behind. 

Thankfully Jessy came up with alternative. 

According to her, she did not live far from the Aurora. She actually lived only a few blocks down and it was a ten minute walk from her apartment. 

So while I was at the Aurora, with Richy hanging around nearby with Thomas as my back up, Cleo, Jessy and Dan would be at her apartment, keepingmy dog from going crazy. I wrote down code words for them to use with him to get him to listen to them while I got ready for my date of getting Phil to open up to me. 

Now, I must stress that I like Jake. I didn't want anyone but him, even if I haven't officially met him.

But I knew what kind of guy Phil was just by hearing my friends talked about him and even talking to him. I knew what would get his attention and while I had no intention of letting him get into my pants, I had to make him think he was.

Which meant, making Duskwood really talk about me. 

So when I was exiting my motel room, I felt a little uncomfortable wearing a black miniskirt with a black bare back halter top and fishnet nylons and armlets, along with my knee high boots. 

I had done up my makeup as usual, but with a little more sparkle and put my black hair up in high ponytail and rich red lipstick. I didn't usually dress like this, like I was ready to jump in bed with the first guy but I had to at least catch Phil's attention.

Punk might have been my style but I hardly ever dressed like this. But I did have to make an impression with him. 

And of course, with Thomas and Richy as my backup, they saw me and stared at me. 

I felt my face heat up rather hot as I climbed into Richy's orange Volkswagen bug, and I drew my eyes down to my lap, feeling their eyes on me. "Don't say it." I muttered in embarrassment. 

"Too bad, I'm going to say it. I wish you weren't into Jake and you weren't dressed like that for someone like Phil because...." Richy cut himself by wolf whistling. 

I blushed even hotter while smacking his shoulder, making him laugh. I glanced back at Thomas, who also was blushing as he looked away awkwardly. "Think it'll work?" I asked him so not exclude him. 

"Yeah.....it'll work. Phil will be all over you." Thomas said and his face did go a little redder. 

I just smiled but nodded. "Just remember, it's for Hannah." I told him and he gave me a weak smil, looking grateful.

Nonetheless, we headed out to Aurora. 

The Aurora was actually very nice, I had to admit, once I got there. I had been told been told it was very nice by everyone but I hadn't seen any pictures of it, myself.

It was in a nice building, very much like all of the buildings of Duskwood with a neon hot pink sign above the front entrance. The cobblestone of the roads of Duskwood made it look rather nice on the outside, as well. 

But the inside, as soon as I entered had taken me by surprise. It was just nice as the outside but with a completely different atmosphere. 

With alternative music booming loudly, that you could feel it within your very chest, the walls were dark with neon painted murals of the Aurora Borealis all around the entire bar and black silhouettes of forests. Pretty chandeliers with crystals hung from the celing, looking like stars as flashing lights hit them. 

There were several booths made of dark wood and black tables along some of the walls, as well as tables and chairs and a decent sized dance floor eith a DJ table near by it. There were a few pinball machines against one wall, four pool tables near another and even a dartboard against another. 

The bar, itself was nearest to the door with a decent line of black stools. A large shelf of bottles of many kinds lined the shelves and that where I saw the bar owner, himself as he was serving customers. 

Now, judging by his pictures, Phil Hawkins was a good looking guy. But seeing him for myself, with my own eyes, I knew exactly why he was a womanizer.

Phil Hawkins was actually quite a gorgeous looking guy, now that I saw him. He was definitely taller than I was by probably a solid foot, and rather lean from a lot of heavy lifting crates of alcohol. He did have a good build on him and while he wasn't a weightlifter like Dan was, he did look pretty strong. 

His hair was dark brown, almost black and long enough to be pulled back and I could see tattoos all over his arms, as well as the one I always saw on his neck in his pictures. He did wear a black muscle shirt, showing off his tattoos and rather form fitting black pants with a nice belt with a bat buckle. And of course, even inside the building, he was wearing black sunglasses, which he did have up on top of his head. 

He wasn't looking at me at first but once I entered, I became fully aware that not only did he look at me, but so did almost everyone else.

Even with the music still booming something that I did recognize from a musical artist I did know and listened to; Porcelain Black, you could almost hear a pin drop when quite a lot of activity halted immediately. 

I swallowed hard to myself but put a very confident smile on my face as I walked in, feigning interest in the decorations of the bar. I didn't even bother looking at one as I looked around the place as I began making my way towards the bar. 

But when I looked towards the bar, ignoring all of the stares I was getting, I did meet Phil's dark eyes and he was looking me up and down with a crooked smile already on his face. He was definitely appreciating my look, that's for sure.

And when he met my eyes, I could not deny that it did send an electric jolt through me as I smiled at him and he smiled right back, watching as I approached the bar. 

Tapping one finger on the bar a few times, Phil turned towards his customer, another guy that I paid no mind at all and said something to him before turning away and coming over to where I slid up onto a stool. 

"Well hello. You're a new face in Duskwood." Phil said and he did have a smooth voice, I had to admit. 

I smiled at him, planting my elbows on the bar and rested my chin on my interlocked fingers. "How do you know that? Maybe I'm from here." I asked already turning on my flirting tone. 

Phil just smirked at me and I noticed that he had a fang on his right side of his teeth. "I'd think I'd remember a gorgeous face like yours around this small town. Plus your American accent." He stated as he leaned against his bar counter, looking me over again. "Welcome to The Aurora," he paused for only a second. "Ember." 

My smile was instantly gone as I felt the jolt of surprise rush through me. I had not expected him to know my name already. He couldn't have possibly knew who I was from first glance and before now, when I had talked to him, I never had any pictures in my contacts.

So how the hell.....?

Grinning at me, Phil gave me a wink. "When we first talked, I looked you up on Google and social media. Did you know in the past 200 years, the name Ember has been only granted to almost 11, 710 girls in the United States? And that by the year 1946, it has lessoned a great deal. Therefore, in the past 22 years, there is a decent 10, 046 girls with the name Ember in the United States. And out of all of the Embers on Facebook, there is one who has not updated their profile picture for the past ten years, due to their history." He stated before reaching under his counter and brought out a printed paper with a book cover.

A printed cover of my father's book and off to the side, my ten years ago picture from Facebook with it slightly zoomed on my face.

Zoomed in on my scar on my eyebrow. 

I felt my breath hitch as my hand immediately snapped up to touch my eyebrow before I forced out a laugh. "Shit.....you are a lot smarter than I thought." I said though little forced. 

Phil chuckled but winked at me. "Glad you noticed. I would be offended if you thought otherwise." He remarked before straightening up, tapping his fingers. "Want something to drink while we talk? It's on me." He said again smoothly. 

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help but smile. "Surprise me, I guess." I told him. 

Phil just grinned at me as he turned towards his bottles behind him and began mixing something up for me. He did it in a record time too and before long, I had a drink in front of me. 

"Sex on a Beach." And the way he said it, winking at me, it made my face heat up. 

"Thanks." I muttered, trying to be miserable but failing because I was actually impressed that he had done his homework, and did it very well. 

Not to mention, he seemed to put two and two together. 

"So, still think Hannah is my basement?" Phil asked grinning at me. 

I just made a face at him as I sipped my drink, and inwardly moaning because the drink was actually really good. "And you figured out that it was me who you talked to before. Damn it. Why can't you be stupid?" I grumbled. 

That made Phil laughed as he just straightened. "Because I'm too good looking to be stupid." He said sly. "So.....you finally decided to show up. Do I still get an autograph, Miss Celebrity?" 

I visibly shrank on the stood, making the biggest pout on my face. "Sure, I guess." I muttered miserably but then glanced at the paper with my Dad's book cover on it. "You....didn't read that, did you?" I asked slowly. 

Phil mere smiled but shook his head. "I've skimmed through it a few years ago. College project when I was studying Criminology. But I dropped out when I moved here to Duskwood with my sisters. I did read your chapter though. Not exactly a pretty story." He said and he did drop some of his suave attitude. "Hannah borrowed the book from me a while ago though. And judging on how she disappeared, I figured that's how you got involved in this mess." 

I sighed but plopped my chin in my hand. "So....I'm guessing you already know why I'm here then." I said as I looked right him. 

"Yup. And I appreciate the way you look. You dressed up just for me. But I can tell it's made you uncomfortable so I'm going to humor you by answeing your questions. I prefer my customers being comfortable in The Aurora. So shoot your questions. I'll answer them but it'll cost you." Phil said smirking again at me. 

I squinted an eye at him. "Price?" I asked suspiciously. 

Again, a flash of his sharp tooth, Phil winked once again. "I'll think of something." He said slyly.

I almost didn't even want to do this now. I didn't want to know what he would ask for in return but if I wanted to to the bottom of this kidnapping, I needed to know what he knew. 

Besides, I could still turn it around on him.

Phil proved that he was smart by figuring out my name and identity just by what he researched so far. But I could do exactly what I said to my friends that I would do to get him on board. 

"Okay, first question then. Did you really not meet with Hannah the day she disappeared?" I asked tapping my finger against the counter and stared deeply at his eyes, looking for any signs he might lie to me.

Phil just nodded, still smiling at me. "Nope. We didn't meet up. She wanted to meet with me but she never showed." He told me. 

Truth. 

He was telling the truth.

"Okay. Did you really think that she was going to sleep with you?" I asked adding a little sourness to it. 

Phil grinned but shook his head. "Wishful thinking on my part. I won't lie, she was pretty to look at and I do have a reputation to uphold." He said as he winked at me, again. 

I made a face but couldn't help but smirk back. 

"But, no. I lied about that, just get a rise out of you." Phil went on, amused. But in some sense, he did grow serious. "My question for you. Why do you think she wanted to meet with me?" 

I was dead silent for a minute as I took it in. I was taken back by his question. I wasn't expecting him to ask that. 

But when he tapped his finger against the printed paper on the counter, I felt my breath catch. I knew the answer to his question. 

"You knew she had a stalker." I murmured in surprise. 

Phil just nodded once as he shifted his weight, leaning further against the counter closer to me. He even wriggled a finger for me to lean in and while I was hesitant, I did it anyway. I could tell he did not want to be overheard by everyone else, not that they were going to hear much over the pounding music. 

"She came to me a while ago and that's when I gave her my copy of your Dad's book. It's because she did tell me about being followed around. She didn't want her friends to find out because she was afraid for their safety." Phil told me. "We're not friends, don't get me wrong. But she trusted me enough to tell me about how scared she was about this guy following her." 

"Did she ever describe him to you?" I asked frowning. 

Phil shook his head. "She never saw him clearly. She just saw some guy, dark hoodie, hood always over his head. His face was always hidden from her view. But she knew he was following her because he was everywhere she looked." He explained and his voice was grim. "She borrowed my book because your dad wrote about stalkers in it. She was trying to figure out how to catch him and what to do about it." 

"Okay. So she trusted you about it. Why didn't you tell the police?" I asked frowning deeper. 

"Because I was as much as a suspect as Thomas was. And it was my word against her therapist's." Phil said raising an eyebrow. 

I was surprised again as I thought about Hannah's therapist, Dr Ulric Barrett. 

Phil nodded to me as if reading my look. "Her therapist believed and even told the police that Hannah's delusion of having a stalker was just a product of childhood trauma was something in her own mind and it was the antidepressants that she was taking that made her confused about a stalker." He stated. 

"Childhood trauma......?" I asked slowly and my breath caught. "That thing that happened in the forest. Something that involved Hannah years ago." I tilted my head. "You weren't in Duskwood at that time though." 

"Oh, I wasn't? Did Jessy not tell you that we had a grandmother who was from here?" Phil asked so mysteriously that it had surprised me and he just grinned at me. "Being the bartender here, I've heard all types of stories." He continued. "It's been over ten years ago, Hannah was a kid, along with many other kids was apart of a summer camp. And she, with two other kids got lost in the forest, at night after playing The Dare House Challenge." He began. "Here's the thing. Duskwood's forests are big, so most of it is off limits. Except one part of it where there is a summer camp, or used to be. It is near the lake and close to the Dare House. Every summer, kids would sneak out of the camp to do the challenge. That summer, Hannah and two kids did the challenge. Problem was, they went missing for a whole night."

I listened hard to what he was saying, enthralled by the story. I was learning something and judging by the look in his eyes, he wasn't lying. Or at least he believed what he was telling me. 

"Three kids. There were search parties looking for them. Stories kept passing around about The Man Without a Face had gotten them. People didn't know what to believe and there was a lot of fear passing around when those kids went missing." Phil told me seriously. "And when some strangers showed up around the same time Hannah and the kids went missing, maybe a few days before they did. What do you think the people of Duskwood thought?" 

"They thought that they had something to do with it." I murmured in surprise. 

"Yeah. They did. Duskwood has it's secrets, Ember. But there are also no secrets in Duskwood, other than what Duskwood wants people to hear." Phil said now smiling tightly. 

"Was.....Jennifer Manson one of the strangers?" I asked frowning. 

"Along with her boyfriend. A guy later who ended up completely disappearing and was never seen again." Phil said in a low voice. 

"Okay." I said my heart thudding a little. "But what about Hannah and the kids? Where do they come in?" 

"Well, when suspected that they had something to with Hannah and the other two's disappearance, Jennifer Manson and her killer went missing the same night the kids did." Phil said as he shrugged. "However, Jennifer Manson's body was found the same day Hannah and the two kids were. The guy was never found, so Duskwood knew he must have had something to do with it. They were found in the same spot. A hole in a hill, large enough to hide a full grown body." 

I frowned as I thought about it but then my memory suddenly brought up a picture that was on my profile, that I got from Hannah's Cloud. 

I stiffened before getting into my purse and pulled out my phone to bring up the picture. The picture was deep in the woods of a big hole in the ground with a bundle of small trees right above it. 

I showed it to Phil. "That one?" I asked firmly. 

Phil looked at it but nodded as he looked back at me. "Yes and I see, you got that from Hannah's cloud." He stated. "Meaning, you're hacking into her phone." He just smirked at me when I looked surprised. "Who do you think was with her when she went into the forest to find that?" 

My mouth parted and my eyebrows raised. "You?" I asked. 

"There's a reason why Thomas was suspicious of Hannah cheating on him, Ember. Because she wouldn't tell him the day they got into an argument, that she was with me, on a hike, deep in the woods, looking for traces of what happened that day when she was found as a kid." Phil said smirking. 

Again my eyebrows went higher. "Okay......so that's where she was. She was with you.....did you find this too?" I asked before flipping through the pictures and brought up the tree with the Raven imprinted on the trunk. 

"The mark of the Raven, yep. We found that too." Phil said as he leaned a little closer. "I'm guessing you saw the bridge in a dark wooded area too." And he nodded when I flipped to the picture of said area. "That's the Forbidden Green Road. No one is allowed out there because it's so deep in the forest that it's easy to get lost. But yes. I was with her when we found all of the pictures." 

"You.....were helping her? Why?" I stated in a form of a question. 

"She said she was scared to go by herself because of her stalker. She would have asked one of her friends, but at the same time, she didn't want to bother them in case something happened. I went with her because she was talking to me about it. We weren't friends but I wasn't going to let her go wandering off into the woods by herself." Phil said with a shrug. "So Thomas thought she was cheating on him because she was gone an entire day and she was with a guy." 

Lie.

He was lying this time. 

I saw his left eye twitch when he said that and from what I have learned from my dad, sometimes when someone was lying, something twitched on a liar's face.

I did not believe him but didn't call him out on it yet. I decided to get a little deeper now.

"And nothing happened.....when you went out there? You didn't try to use your "charms" on her?" I asked skeptically but cautiously. I knew what I was asking could be taken out of context. I meant it to. 

Phil snorted as he narrowed his eyes at me but shrugged. "I like pretty girls, don't get me wrong. But even I wouldn't sink low enough as to forcing myself on them. And Hannah made it perfectly clear she did not like me. I might have wanted to get between her legs, but I will only do it if she wanted me to." He said tightly. 

I had to admire him for that one. I had thought maybe there might have been possibility of him doing that....but then I realized by listening to him, he wouldn't cross that line. 

He was a womanizer but he wasn't that low. 

"Okay. So, you guys went out into the woods to what? And don't feed me bullshit about how you were there as some form of protector." I said firmly.

"You're not catching on, are you?" Phil asked amused and when I frowned at him. "Three kids went missing. Who were they? Why did they?" He even held up three fingers for me to look at.

I merely frowned but squinted my eyes at him. "Hannah?" And one of those fingers went down. "Um.....I'm taking a guess, but was one of them Richy?" 

I stiffened when a second finger went down. My suspicions were correct. It had been Richy with Hannah in the woods and he lied to me about it. He hadn't told me the truth when I asked him about a Jennifer, when I had found out about the bracelet. 

But a third child? 

There had been three? 

Who was the third? 

"The third was me, Ember." Phil suddenly just said, making me stiffen in surprise. "And it wasn't Jennifer Manson. It was Hanson. Reason why we got lost in the woods is because we witnessed a man in a mask kill her at the Dare House and then he chased us out to Green Road, where we got lost. We were found with the body because he chased us out there, where he dumped it. Hannah and I went out there, so we could remember what happened out there. Because she was being stalked, we were sure it was the very same guy who killed Jennifer Hanson." 

I stared at him in complete surprise. I had not been expecting that one at all.


	5. Down to the Bottom

"As you know, Jessy and I are half siblings." Phil began explaining. "I'm eight years older than her. Angela and I are full blood siblings. But we all share the same mom. Angela is the oldest out of us. Our dad died when I was nine. He had cancer. It devastated me and Angie." 

I nodded as I listened over my second drink he had mixed up for me. I had been shocked by what he had told me, I hadn't said anything about it yet. I was just going to listen. 

"Anyway, my mom married Jessy's dad a few months after my dad died and a few months later, a little too soon for the time, here came Jessy." Phil told me. "I never liked Jessy's dad. I never called him dad. I didn't trust him. He made my mom happy but I didn't trust him. And for good reason. Therefore I didn't like my youngest sister. I was a rebellious kid as it was. But I had a good reason for not liking him. He never liked me either. A year after Jessy was born, he began beating on my mom. He was controlling and he was abusive. He used to touch my sister inappropriately too."

I merely frowned as I listened. I didn't like any of this but it was going to make me understand why his relationship with Jessy was strained.

"Anyway, I had it in my head that I had to protect my mom and my sister. So when he beat on my mom, I would step in. Or try to. He used to smack me around every time I did." Phil went on. "That summer, when I was brought to my Grandmother's house with my sisters, I was a young teen at the time. Always acting up because of Jessy's dad. My mom and Jessy's dad was constantly fighting so mom thought it was best we stayed at our grandmother's, here in Duskwood for the summer while they dealed with some issues."

I sipped my drink but nodded for him to go on. It was understandable. 

"Anyway, because I was acting up, Grandma got me into the summer program. Thought I needed to have some fun with the Duskwood kids. I didn't want to but it was boring here so I did it anyway. I met Hannah and Richy and even Lilly at the camp. They were just little kids at the time. And because I was the oldest in the camp, councilors thought it would be a good responsibility activity for me to be in charge of some of the kids." Phil told me and even poured himself a drink, pausing now and then to see to other customers. 

"That night, I learned about the Dare House challenge and I thought it was so stupid. Hannah and Richy both teased me about how I was too scared to do it. Two little freaking kids." Phil said and he did sound amused. 

I couldn't help but laugh too as I imagined little kids picking on another kid older than them. 

"Well, after it was dark, we went to do the challenge and that's when we heard yelling." Phil said and his amusement was gone. "Never got to do the challenge because a man in a mask was killing Jennifer Hanson. As the oldest, I knew I had to get Hannah and Richy to safety. I had to protect them. We started to sneak back to camp and that's when the killer noticed us. He came after us. I had to drag both Hannah and Richy into the woods to try and get away. He chased all three of us deep into woods, dragging that body the entire time."

"By the time he stopped, it was so dark and the forest was pitch black that I knew we got lost. Had to keep Hannah and Richy from panicking the entire time so I found that hole that were found in." Phil explained. "We fell asleep in that hole, all huddled up together. And when we woke up, Jennifer's body was there too. The killer saw the hole but he didn't see us because we were at the back of it. With a body blocking the way, none of us could move. None of us dared." 

"It scared even you." I murmured sympathetically. 

"Pretty much. I don't like to admit it but yeah. It scared even me to not even approach the body. We had to sit there for hours just staring at the body. And then the search parties found us. By that time, Hannah and Richy were so traumatized that in some part of their minds, they locked up those memories. That's why Hannah was seeing a psychiatrist for years. Don't get me wrong. I've had my shares of sitting down with a shrink but too many things were going on." Phil explained. "I lived with knowing we saw a murder happen, on top of an abusive dad." 

"And Jessy?" I asked frowning. 

Phil shrugged as he downed his own glass of alcohol and then poured me a third when I finished mine. "Around the time we moved to Duskwood, I was in my first year of college, studying Criminology. I got the call from Angie that Jessy's dad beat the living fuck out of my mom and was begging me to come home. I did and I found my mom completely black and blue with bruises. I snapped and started swinging back at Jessy's dad." 

"Did Jessy never know what was going on?" I asked frowning. 

"Oh, no. She knew. Problem was, she did have a real good relationship with her dad. He never hurt her. He hurt my mom, Angie and me. But never her." Phil said now a little bitter. "She refused to speak against her dad, even though she knew what the hell he was doing. My mom decided to finally leave him after he beat me to a bloody pulp for snapping on him. She packed us up and brought us to Duskwood to stay with our Grandmother. And she went back to settle a divorce with Jessy's dad." 

"What happened?" I asked almost painfully as I listened. 

"Murder suicide. He snapped because my mom was fighting for custody of Jessy. He killed her and then he killed himself. Leaving us to live with our Grandma." Phil said and he did have a bitter look in his eyes. "Not going to lie, yeah. I blame Jessy for it. It's why I don't get along with her. And I know I shouldn't but I do. Because of her, my mom wouldn't leave her dad. Because of Jessy not testifying against him, he got away with it. And because of her dad, my mother is dead." Phil told me.

I made a face. I couldn't blame him for being so angry about what happened to his mother but at the same time, it wasn't right for him to blame Jessy. 

"Phil, I get it. You're still angry about what happened. But look at it from her point of view. She was probably scared to say anything. It was her dad. Every little girl wants to believe their dad is a good person. Even when they're doing something terribly wrong." I said now running a finger against the glass in my hands. "She probably knows what he did was terribly wrong and that's why she let's you be mean to her." 

Phil frowned at me and started to say something but I held up a finger to shush him. 

"She loves you, Phil. She was completely against the very idea of you being behind Hannah's disappearance. She ripped into Cleo for coming in here, accusing you about Hannah and she was pissed when Cleo and Thomas tried to break into your basement." I continued on firmly. "Phil, you're her older brother. Do you know why older brothers are born first?" 

That took him by surprise but he then gave a short laugh and hung his head. "Oh, Jesus. You're using a quote from the Anime, Bleach against me?" He said highly amused. 

I grinned at him. "To protect the younger siblings that come after." I went on. "You watched Bleach?" 

"A long time ago. Angie's really into Anime. She used to make me and Jessy sit down and watch a lot of them with her." Phil said laughing. 

I laughed with him and then sobered up because I knew what I was about to say was going to completely throw him off. "Jessy was attacked by the kidnapper, Phil." I blurted out softly for only him to hear. 

And I was right. 

Phil went completely dead silent as he looked at me, the surprise definitely in his eyes. "What?" He asked almost blankly.

I made a pained face but nodded. "It was my fault, I'll admit it. Because I got involved with this whole thing. I am trying to find Hannah and the kidnapper knows it. He attacked Jessy because I got too close to finding out who he was. I've gotten threats from him. And he finally reacted." I told him. "Now I came here to Duskwood to find Hannah. And it does mean I've put myself in his crosshairs. But because of the attack on Jessy, I came here to put a stop to it. But I need everyone on board. Including you. Now that I know what you know, it's going to take all of us to find Hannah alive." 

Phil steeled himself and straightened. "I could say no. I run a business, Ember. I don't have time for that." He stated firmly. 

"I know. But now that you've told me that you were in the forest that day, the kidnapper will probably target you too." I said just as firmly. "And I know you don't like Jessy but he did hurt her. He put his hands on her and hurt her. I came here to blackmail you because of what you said to me before so you would help." I said and held up a hand when he glowered at me. "But now I'm just asking for your help. You're a lot more decent than you try to make yourself out to be. Prove it. Help us find Hannah." 

Phil exhaled loudly as he straightened and even ran his hand through his hair, pausing to scratch the back of his neck. He did not look happy whatsoever. 

But after a minute, he nodded as he looked at me. "Okay. I'll do what I can to help. But if it gets Jessy hurt again, I'm pulling the plug on it all. Got that?" He asked and quite demanding as well. He was definitely putting authority into it. 

And to be honest, I couldn't find a single thing to say against it. 

So I nodded and smiled. "Thank you." I told him. 

"Just be glad I have a soft spot for pretty girls. Sometimes I can't say no to one." Phil said smirking and winking. "By the way, you've got some eyes on you. Looks like quite a few of Duskwood's residents appreciating your look." He added grinning. 

I snorted with a smile but didn't really bother looking around. I could feel those eyes on me. I didn't want to see how many drunken stares were on me, probably undressing me with those stares. 

"The one guy in the back corner hasn't stopped looking at you since you came in." Phil added, amused. 

I rolled my eyes but decided to humor him by looking over my shoulder at who he was talking about. He wasn't going to knock it off so I would humor him. 

And my eyes landed on a guy in the back corner as Phil had said. And I frowned slightly. 

The guy in the back corner was definitely avoiding the crowds of the bar. He was in a dark corner, just sitting directly in the corner, facing me. He was wearing a dark hoodie with the hood up and I could only barely make out his face with the shade of the hood. 

A young man's face, obviously, but a little pale but handsome. The man definitely had a good looking face for what I could see. A thin and narrow face but touched with a little scruff around his chin and cheeks as if he didn't shave every day. His eyes were shaded from the shadows so I couldn't really see them too clearly but I knew they were on me. 

But what made me stiffen and become very alert was the shape of his body. 

He looked very familiar to me, though I couldn't make out his facial features. I could have sworn that I've seen him before. And not too long ago.

My mind and my heart started racing as thoughts began swirling around my head as the image came to me. I saw it immediately in my own mind as I compared the shape to one I knew recently. 

"Jake?" I found myself whisper in complete shock as I stared at that man. 

And as if he heard me, the man in the dark shifted, almost stiffening. 

But that might have been because someone just stepped up to me and clapped a hand down hard on my shoulder, making me wince and jerk around to glare at who dared to grab me like that. 

"Hey!" I heard Phil suddenly snapped when he noticed the guy too. "Do not grab her!" 

My words died immediately in my throat as I was about to snap at this guy as well and my eyes grew wide open at the old man glaring at me with such ferocity that I knew way too well. 

"Oh shit." I muttered gloomily. 

The man who had grabbed me was in his sixties and a little grizzled with his age. He was tall and brawny for his age, with wide shoulders. His aged face was stronge but with many lines from age and stress. Brown hair now mostly gray with a brown fedora hat topped his head while scruffy bristles covered his cheeks and chin. 

He wore a dark brown long jacket over his black suit with a purple tie hanging down, looking as if henhad been tugging at it. 

He was an old man but one I knew all too well.

"What the hell do you think you were doing leaving the States like that?!" Herb Dennison asked harshly. 

"I said hands off or I'm going to call the police!" Phil snapped now reaching under his bar for a metal bat. 

I immediately looked at him, shaking my head. "Phil, it's okay. I know him. He's my legal guardian, even though I'm an adult now." I told him before grimacing as I glanced around to see that everyone was watching. 

The guy in the corner was gone though. 

"Who the hell is he?" Phil asked not relaxing at all and not stopping from glaring. 

Herb reached into his pocket and yanked out his badge to show Phil, who stiffened at the sight of it. "Detective Herb Dennison and I'm a US Federal Agent. Miss Danes, here, is my ward and I'm going to commandeer your back room for a moment, Mister Hawkins. I suggest you turn up the music because it's about to get real loud back there." He said sternly. 

And he dragged my ass to the back of The Aurora with Phil sputtering in bewilderment. 

"WHAT THE HELL WERE THINKING, EMBER?!" Herb immediately started yelling at me and I'm sure even over the now louder music, people could still hear what was going on. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STAY IN THE SAFEHOUSE!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE HELL YOU DID?!"

I cringed under Herb's glare but didn't say a word because I knew he was just getting started. I knew if I interrupted, he could just get louder. 

"YOU ABOUT GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK, GIRL! AS SOON AS YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE ON A PLANE, LEAVING THE CITY, I WAS ON A PLANE RIGHT AFTER YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING RISKING YOUR LIFE LIKE THIS?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW YOU COULD RUIN THE ENTIRE CASE AGAINST THE MCGREGGOR GANG?! DID YOU KNOW THEY WERE OUT LOOKING FOR YOU THE VERY SECOND YOU LEFT THE SAFEHOUSE?!" 

I cringed not even looking at him. I didn't dare to because if I did, I'd probably start crying. I hated disappointing Herb and I knew I had. 

There was a silence for a minute before I heard him exhale and then reached forward, grabbing me by the shoulders and pulling me into his arms. I buried my head into his shoulder now clinging to my guardian. 

"M' sorry. I just wanted to help find her." I muttered miserably into his shoulder. 

Herb sighed as he rested his chin on top of my head, holding me tighter. "You, Ember Danes, are too much like your father. And that scares the shit out of me. I can't....I can't lose you too, Ember. Your father wanted me to protect you. How can I do that when you pull this shit?" He grumbled. 

I shrugged as I sniffed heavily trying not to break like I felt like I was going to. "I know. But....it's the right thing to do." I pulled away and looked tearfully up at his grizzled face. "A girl has been kidnapped, Herb. Nothing was getting done. She reached out to me too, Herb. I had to do something when Thomas contacted me." I said emotionally. 

Herb just glowered at me. "You should have came to me, Ember. Not run off and try doing it yourself." He grumbled. 

"And I know what you would have said, Herb. It's not our problem. It's not in our jurisdiction. Let the Duskwood police handle it." I said now hardening my voice as I looked up at him. "They're not doing anything! It's been a week since she went missing and they haven't even scoured the forest, looking for her because of some stupid legend! They haven't even found her! I've gotten closer to this guy, from the safehouse, thousands and thousands of miles away from here than they ever did! The kidnapper isn't threatened by the police, Herb! He's threatened by me!" 

For a long moment, Herb stared at me before he snorted and reached up to rub the bridge of his nose. "That's because you're Stephen Danes' daughter. You get your smarts from Steve." He grumbled before sighing and dropping his hand. "Call all of your friends. Tell them to get here. I'll have a word with Mr Hawkins about closing up so we can have a talk." 

I slowly nodded before smiling. "You're going to look, aren't you?" I asked now grinning. 

"Yep. Let's see what's got your riled up." Herb said before he paused and tapped my shoulder. "Send a message to your Hacker friend too. Tell him there will be Class S blockers up so whoever's looking for him won't see his traces. I want a word with him too." 

I felt my heart skip a beat as a smile spread out on my face. But it dropped again as I thought about it. "He might not want to talk to you, Herb. You are FBI." I said gloomily. 

"If he wants to stop running for all his life, he'll talk to me, Ember. Make that very clear to him. Because depending on what he found out that made him run in the first place, I might be able get to him an immunity." Herb said firmly. "I'm not bullshitting around."

I merely smiled thankfully at him, grateful that he was at least going to try and work with me on this. I knew Jake would not trust Herb but if he trusted me, he could at least try and trust my guardian.

Nonetheless, I did what I was told and sent a message to all of my friends to come to The Aurora. 

Phil had not been happy at all when Herb told him to close down. He even muttered miserably about it but after getting a badge shoved in his face again and finding out that Herb was definitely not the kind of guy to back talk in any way, he closed down and kicked everyone out. We knew there would be talk around town but Herb wasn't the kind who gave a shit about gossip.

Everyone came in, looking uncertain about everything that was happening. They were a little jumpy as they filed into the bar, all glancing at me and then to Herb. 

"Hey, uh, Ember. What's, uh, going on?" Dan asked as he walked beside Jessy and Cleo. 

"Everyone, shut up and sit down. I've got no patience right now for questions and I'm not in the damn mood." Herb practically snarled and I slapped his arm, making him glower at me. "Uh-uh, no slapping me, girl. You're grounded by the way." 

"Herb." I grumbled as I glowered at him. 

"I can change my mind, Ember, and drag you kicking and screaming back home. You've already pissed me off by running out on me like you did." Herb snapped. 

I groaned in embarrassment but zipped my lips. I saw my friends grimace in confusion but they thankfully didn't say anything. I knew it wouldn't be wise if they did and they seemed to know it too. 

"You too, Mr Hawkins. And don't give me the speech that is your bar and yada yada yada. Sit your ass down or do I have to remind you of how fast I can shut down your license for this establishment." Herb said sternly and was glared at but Phil sat down, swiveling a shot glass of whiskey he now slammed down on his counter. 

I gave him an apologetic look, as well as everyone else as even I sat down. 

Only Herb remained standing with his thumbs hooked into his belt loops. He glowered at every single one of us. From me to Thomas, to Cleo and so on to everyone and then back to me. "Did you get a hold of him?" He asked.

I looked down at my phone and pulled up my messages. I looked at the only one I had spent the last half an hour sending message after message to. 

Me: Jake? Are you there?

Me: Jake, I need to talk to you. Please.

Me: Please, come online. 

Me: I miss you. I really really need to talk to you. It's really important. 

Still no replies or any indication that he was getting my messages. It made me worry greatly. 

I sighed, looking at Herb and shook my head. "He's either not answering them or he's been caught. I don't know, Herb." I said miserably. 

Herb grunted before reaching out for my phone. He waved it at me to just give it to him when I hesitated. "Just give it, Ember. I'll get him on real fast." He stated. 

I made a face but gave him my phone. "Be nice. Please. I really like him." I said miserably. 

"I don't do nice, Ember and you know that. And I can tell you like him. Even when you don't fucking know him." Herb grumbled but began typing something into the messages. 

"Ember, who is this guy?" Richy asked making a face. 

"Herb Dennison. FBI." My guardian grumbled without even looking up from my phone. And I watched eyebrows shoot up from every one of my friends' faces. "I'm here to kick the shit out of Ember because she knew she did wrong by coming here." 

A few chokes broke the startled silence. 

"Herb, will you knock it off?" I growled sourly before yelping when he tossed my phone back at me and I scurried to catch it. I looked down at my phone to see what he had said and my face fell. 

Me: Hacker boy, get the fuck on the call now. FBI Agent who is real good at his job. I've got a Class S firewall so your pursuers ain't gonna see. Now get on or I'll track you down, myself and kick your ass. 

I glared at Herb. "Oh yeah. That's really going to make him come running, asshole!" I snapped and it startled all my friends when Herb laughed at my comment. 

However, my phone beeped and I looked down startled. 

Jake is online flashed at me. 

I felt my breath catch and my heart start pounding as a smile broke out on my face. "Jake....." I whispered and suddenly felt Lilly right next to me now looking over my shoulder. 

Jake: Hello, Ember. 

Me: Jake! 🥰


	6. Jake

Jake: FBI, Huh?

I grimaced at his question but began typing my reply to him. 

Me: yeah......I'm sorry. I can explain later. But right now, I need you to at least try and trust him. 

Jake: Might be asking a little too much there.

Me: 😪 I know. His name is Herb and he's my legal guardian. I know you don't but I swear, you can trust him. He's gruff and mean but he has a good heart.

Jake:........

Jake: I trust you. 

And a moment later, my phone rang with an unknown number and I answered to reveal a video call. My smile spread as soon as I saw that dark hoodie and completely shaded out hood, where we couldn't see his face at all. 

And of course, when he spoke, his voice was disguised by a voice changer. 

The whole image of him was electronically changed and only the briefest shimmer of a brick wall was behind him. I couldn't be too sure where he might be. But it did make me frown as I took in his hoodie.

I knew it just by looking at him. 

"Hello, FBI Agent, Herb. It's a pleasure to meet you. Though unexpectedly." Jake spoke with his changed voice. 

Herb narrowed his eyes as he took in the video call before he snorted and shook his head. "Get your ass inside before someone sees you lurking out there, kid. I know you're right outside the building right now." He grunted. 

I felt my heart nearly stop and I could have sworn everyone had stiffened in alarm. 

"Hm. What makes you think I'm outside?" Jake asked though he did sound amused. 

"One of the bricks behind you has an X crack in it. The one over your right shoulder. I looked right at it when I was storming in here to catch Ember off guard. First thing I thought was X marks the spot and viola, she was in here." Herb said smirking as he turned to look right at the front door of the bar. "Come on in. I ain't going to arrest you. We need to talk, kid." 

There was an almost laughing exhale before Jake suddenly hung up. 

My head whipped around so fast as the door opened, and my heart started pounding as I watched a hooded dark figure now entering the building. I felt everything stop as I recognized him. 

It was the guy from the dark corner. 

And he moving very cautiously as he entered but he slowly turned to look at all of us before reaching up to push back his hood. 

Jake was definitely taller than me and he did have a little bit of a lanky build but at the same time, a good one. His face was long and narrow with a little scruff on his cheeks as if he didn't shave too much. He did have a little bit of dark shade under his eyes from lack of sleep and he was pale but he was rather handsome. 

He had dark brown hair, cut short but a little shaggy from either not combing it out or pulling at it because of stress. His eyes were a steel grey, very much like Lilly's eyes. 

Jake and Lilly's eyes were the same. 

"Jake?" Lilly asked breathlessly as she stood up. 

Jake turned his cautious gaze towards her and he barely smile but nodded to her before he looked at me. He did smile lightly but forcefully. "Hello, Ember." He merely said without the voice changer. 

His voice was a little raspy from lack of use but he did have quite a smooth voice that made my heart pound.

"Okay, Jake. I know you're skittish and with good reason but you ain't my case. I won't arrest you without probable cause." Herb spoke before jerking his head to one of the chairs. "Sit down, let's all talk about this. I won't stop you when and if you run. My only concern is her." He added nodding to me. 

Jake hesitated but slowly made his way over to the seat next to me, which made my heart pound even harder. He looked at me and I looked at him and we did share a smile. 

"Okay, enough goo goo eyes." Herb said making me blush and glare at him. He looked highly irritated and amused but he sobered up fast. "I'm going to start this by telling all of you off and if one of you tries to interrupt, ask Ember what happens when you interrupt me." 

I grimaced as I glanced at everyone apologetically. "He yells very loud and he is scary. So don't." I warned.

"I can see that." Dan remarked first grimacing. 

"Now telling you off first," Herb started and his voice did harden. "Every single one you, you are all damn idiots!" I winced and so did everyone. Even Jake winced at the harshness of Herb's tone. "For one, this whole thing should have never involved Ember! Another, chasing after a kidnapper even for your friend, that is asking for heaps of trouble! So I am not surprised at all that he reacted he did when Ember told me about while she was getting on the damn plane to come out here to help you!" 

I cringed lower in my chair, my face heating. 

"Let me fill you on something about Ember that she probably hasn't told you." Herb said sternly. "For the past ten years, she has been locked up in a safehouse as a key eye witness for a huge scandal against a Mafia type gang, The McGreggor Gang, run by Millionair, Domonique McGreggor." 

I felt my face heat up as eyes immediately turned onto me. I could feel the concern in those gazes from everyone. I tried not to look at them but couldn't help it as I felt their eyes just baring into me. 

The only one that didn't look surprised was Phil but that was because he had read my story in my Dad's book. He just swirled a shot glass full of whiskey, eyes drawn only to the alcohol in his hand. 

Everyone else though looked surprised and worried. Even Jake did. 

"Ten years ago, her father, quite an infamous Detective, Stephen Danes was investigating Domonique McGreggor, as a favor from me because it was my case." Herb said firmly, his eyes just baring into everyone. "I couldn't get close to my case because they were watching me. So I got Steve on board to watch from their backs because they were facing me. They found out that he was tailing them and lashed out at the only person that me and him cared about. Her." He jerked his thumb to me. 

"For months they had her. She suffered nearly four months of torture from those people." Herb went on, his voice hard. "When we finally got her back, she was on the brink of collapse and she had seen enough of their crimes that she could bring down the entire McGreggor Empire that Domonique built. For the past ten years, Domonique McGreggor has put a bounty on her head for her life to be extinguished because of what she knew. She is important to put the entire McGreggor Gang behind bars or death. And all of that may have been compromised because she got involved with this kidnapping." 

"Oh my god." Cleo spoke up now reaching for my arm to clasp. "Oh, Ember, we are so sorry." 

I shook my head, smiling tightly. "It was my choice. I wanted to help. Hannah reached out to me too when she went missing. I wanted to help. I knew what I was risking when I decided to come here. And I knew Herb would chase after me. I just didn't think he would be here so fast." I told them.

"Secondly, because I know Ember too well, I know she doesn't want to leave until this is over. She'll make a racket if I drag her out now. She's like her old man. Stubborn as hell. So I'm going to take a look at this case." Herb said sternly before ponting at everyone. "I'm going to ask each and every one of you questions and if you lie to me or try to hide something, don't! One of my nicknames in the agency is The Human Lie Detector. I will know if you lie to me." 

"Truth." I muttered. 

"What if.....there's something we don't want out?" Richy asked slowly making a face. 

"Trust me, I will find it out. Don't lie to me. I'm not a nice guy and I hate liars. But if it's something you don't want each other to know about you, no worries. I'm talking to each of you privately." Herb said firmly. "If you want your friend back, you won't hide anything from me."

Everyone made a face but nodded as we all shared a glance with one another. My friends didn't like it but we all knew what was at stake. 

Hannah's life was on the line. 

"Okay, but for starters, as a group, we're going to run through everything together. Everything you all know at the same time." Herb said before looking at Phil. "Mr Hawkins, I don't suppose you have coffee in here?" 

Phil growled lowly as he rolled his eyes but scooted off his bar stool and moved around the counter to pull out a coffee pot. "I don't usually serve it but I do have it. Are we really going to do this in my bar?" He grumbled. 

"Yep." Herb stated before glancing around and then looking at me. "Where's Grim?" 

I frowned as I glanced around before looking at Jessy. I had been so caught up in all of this that I had barely noticed that my dog wasn't here. 

"We put him in Richy's car when we got here. Phil doesn't like animals in the bar." Jessy said softly. 

"Yeah, please don't bring a dog in here." Phil growled sourly. "Dog hair gets everywhere and it's difficult enough to clean up." 

"Too bad. We need him. I'll pay compensation for him." Herb said before looking at me. "Go get him, Ember. Take someone with you. I don't want you out there for than a minute. Out and in." He ordered. 

I started to rise and so did Richy but it was Jake who stood up first. 

"I'll go with her." Jake spoke up. 

"I don't care who goes, just come back in here. And leave your backpack, kid. I know you got your laptop in it. Don't run off just yet." Herb stated firmly. 

I saw Richy make a face but he sat back down while I headed to the door with Jake behind me. He had set his backpack down under the table, pulling up his hood again as we went out, with eyes trailing after us. Jake and I stepped outside and headed to where Richy had parked his car. I smiled when I heard Grim barking and getting excited because he had seen me. 

"So....Ember." Jake started. 

I smiled faintly as I glanced back at him as I lead the way to the orange bug. "So, Jake. We finally meet." I grimaced painfully. "I'm really sorry about Herb. He's pretty pushy but he means well." I told him. 

Jake made an amused sound but he looked at me, pushing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "He's just looking out for you. He does seem like a good man." He paused. "Did you get my flowers?" 

My face heated right up but I grinned at him as I looked almost shyly. "Yeah. Roses, huh? You know roses mean.....?" I had been saying. 

However, Jake grabbed my arm and turned me to face him and before I knew it, he was pulling me right against him while one hand was on the back of my head. He swooped down and kissed me. 

My heart raced as I found my arms encircling his neck as I kissed him right back. I couldn't but help myself as I just warmed right up, feeling his mouth covering mine. His arm atound my waist, pulling me so close to his until I was completely against him. 

When we finally broke away, our foreheads pressed against one another's, I smiled up at him. 

"Sorry. I've been wanting to do that for a while now. Since our last talk." Jake said softly as he held me close to him. 

"I would be offended if you didn't." I said grinning against his cheek. "I've missed you." 

"And I missed you." Jake said right back, smiling back before slowly pulling away. His smile did fade a little. "I'm so sorry you were dragged into this. If I would have known you were already in danger, I wouldn't have tried....."

"Don't, Jake. It's okay. You were doing it for Hannah. I get it. She's your sister and you wanted to help her. I wanted to help too. Despite my case." I said smiling at him. 

"You still shouldn't have come here. The kidnapper wants to hurt you. You're giving him a chance." Jake said and he did sound concerned. 

"Well, you've met Herb. What chance do you think he'll take to try hurting me?" I asked grinning before taking his hand and pulling him over to Richy's car. "And you're meeting the other love of my life." I paused to look at Grim who was barking at Jake but he stopped when I made the shush motion. "Friend, Grim. Be nice." I told him before opening the car door to let him out. 

Grim hopped out, whining and growling at me as I bent down to allow him to lick my face. I couldn't help but laugh as I rubbed his head. 

"I know. You're mad that I left you behind." I said laughing before looking at Jake, who was stepping back a little. "It's okay. He won't bite unless I tell him to." 

Jake hesitated but then held out a hand for Grim to sniff before smiling when my dog licked his hand. He then petted him. "Good boy." He merely said before we both stood. 

I took Jake's hand, surprising him a little before walking with him and Grim back to the bar. We entered and were fully aware that some stares zeroed in our hands but no one said anything.

Lilly was grinning though. 

Herb rolled his eyes but folded his arms. "All right. Phones out of pockets now and on tables. All of them." He said firmly before pointing at Jake. "You, get your laptop out and boot it up." 

Jake now glowered for the first time as he unlinked his hand from mine but went over to his pack. "Forgive me but no one touches my laptop. I don't like people touching it. I have many encryptions on my hard drive. And there is a lot on here that I won't let you see." He remarked. 

"You want to find Hannah or not, Jake?" Herb asked roughly. "I'm not asking for all of the stolen information you have. Just everything you have dealing with Hannah and this case. And if you want to stop running from the law, you and I will be talking about what you found that got you in trouble in the first place." 

"I won't trust you." Jake said now frowning at him and there was definitely tension in the room now. 

"I ain't asking you to trust me. I'm asking you to trust her." Herb said now nodding to me. "Now, do you?" 

Jake pursed his lips tightly but then he pulled out his laptop, a rather nice looking one of a decent size and set it gently on the table. He opened it and began booting it up. 

"All right, run it all down with me. Starting with you." Herb said now nodding to Thomas. "Everything you have told Ember. Start from the top." 

And we began to go over everything.


	7. Midnight in Duskwood

It took all night long explaining things to Herb. 

We were all tired by the end of the night but thankfully, everyone was cooperative, even Phil when Herb got to him after getting everything from everyone else. 

Nonetheless, everyone did share all messages between each other and everything we talked about with one another. We showed him the threats we had gotten. I showed him the pictures and.videos I had gotten from Hannah's cloud. 

All of the stories we learned. We went through everything. 

The others even learned the truth about Richy and Phil, whom had surprised everyone when they found out about the incident that involved Hannah. Herb was writing everything down, making a list of clues to look over and even had me writing it down. 

Finally it was Jake's turn to share his talk with Hannah.

"I do have to warn you. It's disturbing." Jake said as he was swiftly typing on his laptop and pulled up a soundbyte. 

"Kidnappings always are disturbing, kiddo." Herb said wearily but he nodded for Jake to play it. We all sat there, listening and expecting the worse. 

For a second there was a ringing sound before we heard Jake's voice answer Hannah when she called. 

Jake: "Hannah, calm down! What's happening?! Why did you call me?!" 

Hannah: "There's someone outside my apartment, Jake! I heard noises and someone was pounding on my door!"

Jake: "Did you see who it was?! Did you call the police?!"

Hannah: "Yes! But they thought it was a prank! Nothing like this happens in Duskwood! Jake, please! I know you didn't want me to call you anymore but I'm scared! Please, you got to help me!" 

Jake: "I will! I'm booking a flight there now! Keep the doors locked, find somewhere to hide! You've got to call one of your friends! Get someone to come over!"

Hannah: "I.....I can't, Jake!" She suddenly gasped and it went dead silent. "Jake. Someone is inside my house. I can hear someone moving down stairs."

I felt my chest tightening as even I felt the fear through the sound. I saw both Jessy, Lilly and Cleo clutching one another and the pained looks on Thomas' and Dan's face. 

Jake.

The look on his face. It was haunted as he sat there, staring at his screen. 

Jake: "Find somewhere to hide. Turn on your camera so I can see." 

There was a little bit of sound as we could hear Hannah moving around before Jake's computer changed and a video popped up, showing us a dark room. 

Hannah was under her bed, the camera shaking as she was. 

Her room was so dark so it proved this had been at night when she had been taken. She was shaking violently as she pointed her camera towards the stairs where it showed only darkness. 

We could hear her breathing but it was obvious she was trying to stifle herself with her other hand. 

From the stairs, a dark figure climbed up, peering around the room as it came up. I felt my breath catch as I recognized that masked figure from anywhere. 

The Man without a Face. 

He climbed up the stairs and we could only see his workboots now. He was looking around the room, shifting around and searching. 

Hannah was whimpering from under her bed as she laid there, watching the intruder. She moved the camera when he began looking around, opening the closet and peering in. 

After a long moment, he turned and started back towards the stairs. 

Hannah whimpered, almost slightly relieved that he was leaving and unfortunately, that was loud enough for even us to hear. 

The man stopped from going down the stairs and turned around. He stood there for a moment before now storming towards the bed, which made Hannah gasp loudly and start scooting back. 

But the man got down on his knees and reached under the bed, now grabbing at her, which caused her to scream. He grabbed her, making her drop the phone as she was being yanked out from under the bed. 

We could hear Jake yelling through the line as we heard smacks as if Hannah was slapping at her attacker or the other way around. She was screaming and crying before it sounded like she was muffled. 

And then silence for a long moment. 

A moment later, we heard the phone scrape as a gloved hand reached for the phone and the video was filled with the image of the masked man. He looked right down at the camera, at Jake. 

And then hung up, even with Jake swearing at him. 

Jake sighed before closing down his video and soundbites before turning towards us. 

I looked around at everyone. Cleo, Jessy and Lilly were crying. Thomas too, actually as he cupped his mouth, trying not to make a sound. Richy looked pained and Dan looked pissed. So did Phil. 

I drew a shaky breath before looking at Herb, who was staring hard at Jake's laptop. 

"Jake, bring that picture of the masked man again. Let me take a good look at him." He finally said. 

Jake nodded and brought up the image, showing the old man. I even leaned in to take a good look. I had seen this mask a few times now, so I knew it. 

The mask....

It was man made no doubt, made from a potato sack with eye holes cut and replace with black lens to resemble raven eyes. It covered the entire head, hiding any trace of who this was. There was no distinguishing marks, no labels on the black clothes this man wore. He wore complete black and did have thin black gloves covering his hands. 

From behind him, when he had lift the phone to look at the video call, we could see Hannah lying on the ground, unconscious. 

There was a white rag covering the bottom of her face. 

"Chloroform. He knocked her out with Chloroform." Herb suddenly spoke up as he pointed at the rag before his eyes darted around the image. "This was no accident as you thought once, Ember. He specifically targeted her." He shared a look with me. "However, he is sloppy. He made a mistake." 

Everyone looked at him, frowning. 

"How so?" Richy asked. 

I even shook my head. "He turned away from the bed after checking the closet to leave. He didn't check everywhere for her." I spoke up, earning surprises. 

"Um.....?" Dan started. 

"A truly thorough kidnapper who knows what he's doing knows where there are places to hide in one's house." Herb said firmly. "He didn't know she could hide under her bed. Meaning he's never been in her house before. It rules out any of you. All of you minus Jake has been there, true?" 

Phil raised a finger. "Not me. I've never been welcome in her apartment. Never set foot in there." He stated. 

"Okay, Phil then. However, he doesn't have the same body frame as you. The way he moves. He's not exactly quiet. He walks heavy enough to make foot steps from down stairs. You could hear him in the house. So he weighs more than you." Herb said seriously. "However he does wear work boots. Steel toes from what I can see." Herb stated as he looked at Jake. "Trail back so we can seenhis boots again."

Jake nodded and moved the video back until it was on the boots. He even zoomed in on them so we could see clearly. 

"Okay." Herb said now leaning over to examine the boots. "It's not exact science but judging by the looks of it, Rico Moc black leather work boots, steel toes. Size 15, big feet....vintage? 1970's...." he suddenly cut off, his mouth falling open. 

I frowned and so did everyone else as we looked at him. 

Herb looked disturbed suddenly. 

"Herb?" I asked now concerned as I placed a hand on his shoulder. 

Herb straightened immediately and began digging out his phone. He held up a finger to all of us when we looked confused but he used speed dial on his cell. Henjust moved slightly away from us. 

"Hey there, Joey! Dennison, here! Look I need you to look up a cold case file from thirty years ago. A case from Geneva, Dusk County." Herb stated before rattling off some numbers. "Yes, I know cold case files are hard to look up but find it and get back to me pronto! Fucking do it!" He hung upand turned back now zeroing in on the boots. 

"What was that about?" I asked frowning. 

Herb shook his head as he stared hard at the boots. "Thirty years ago, your dad and I worked on a police case in Geneva, Dusk County. There was a series of kidnappings and murders that time too. Thirteen women all taken without a trace. Their bodies found in wooded areas. Each and every one were found around the new moon lunar cycles." Her said seriously. "It ended up being a serial killer case. Problem is, it went cold when we tracked a guy for wearing these exact same boots. There was evidence that there was a group of killers but we only found one of them. When we got that guy, the killings stopped once we put him down. All of the others disappeared and the case ended up cold because we couldn't find them." 

I frowned in surprise and shared a look with everyone. We all looked surprised by this. 

Herb's brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed before he looked at me. "That legend you mentioned. The Man with a head or something....." he was saying. 

"The Man Without A Face." Jessy perked up now sitting up straight. "Duskwood's darkest legend." 

Herb slowly nodded as he narrowed his eyes towards her. "Tell me that legend again. I need to hear the story." He stated. 

I immediately grabbed my phone and pulled up the digital copy of Midnight in Duskwood and showed it to Herb. He listened to story now pacing as we watched him. 

Once the story was done, Herb slowly nodded. "Sign of the Raven......sonvuabitch." he remarked now hurrying back to all of the notes he had taken while listening to everyone's testimonials. He began looking through all of them, pushing and grabbing notes as something was definitely coming to light in his eyes. 

I shared a glance with Jake and when I noticed something settling on my Hacker's face, I knew it. 

And Herb knew it because he whipped around and looked right at him, seriously. "That's what you found. Isn't it?" My guardian asked firmly. 

We all looked at Jake as he sat back in the chair but he slowly nodded. "Yes. I found traces of cult activity, involving the Duskwood Government. A secret society. The Die Rabeneltern Society." He stated. 

I straightened with alarm and so had everyone else. We were learning why Jake was wanted now. 

"Die......what?" Dan asked making a face. 

"Die Rabeneltern, German for Bad Parents." Herb said now steeled. He frowned now moved closer to Jake. "What exactly did you see, Jake?" 

Jake stiffened a little bit but then turned to his laptop, now pulling up files and pictures to show Herb. I even looked, along with Lilly and we all frowned as we saw black and white pictures of dark chamber like rooms. 

The Sign of the Raven in many different forms, but still a Raven. 

There were pictures of masked people but they weren't quite like the one I've seen. But they were man made of sacks of different fabrics. A picture of women and even children chained in dark rooms, looking terrified. 

And even a picture of a woman who obviously had been slaughtered on a man made wooden table, in woods.

"Oh my god." Lilly said now covering her mouth. 

"The Die Rabeneltern is a rumored cult that dates back in the 1800's. Story follows something similar to your Man Legend." Herb said now stone faced. "Stories are always different but ends the same. Sacrificial rites under a full moon or a new moon. That's what happened with the old murder cases that Steve Danes and I worked on. Two deaths a month unless we cornered one of the killers. A sacrifice under the Full Moon and then another under the New Moon." He frowned before looking at Thomas. "The body of the woman.....when you went to the police about the body, how long ago was that?"

Thomas frowned but shook his head. "I.....I don't know. Days ago. A week or so. The body was found at least ten days ago." He said uncertainly. 

Herb cupped his face before he finally turned towards Phil. "Your turn. Have you heard any talks about lunar cycles? Or maybe heard something about a parent being bad?" He asked seriously. 

Phil scoffed as he leaned back against his counter. "Are you kidding me? You're asking me to remember something like that?" He got quite a dark look from Herb and he exaggerated a long sigh as he looked around the room at everyone. "Each and every one of us had a bad parent, man. Jessy's dad beat me and my mom and my sister, Angie. Obviously, Lilly's dad is a cheater because viola," he motioned to Jake. "Illegitimate kid right there. Cleo's mom is super clingy and controlling." 

"She is not!" Cleo said now angry. 

"She fucking bosses you around, Cleo! She demands you at her side if something goes wrong! Face it, you're her fucking maid!" Phil snapped back. "Dan's mom has bad knees, so therefore, she sits around all day doing nothing! She's lazy!" 

"Hey!" Dan growled. 

"Phil, that's not...." Thomas was saying. 

"Your mom abandoned you, Thomas! Leaving you with a dad who neglects you all of the time!" Phil went on harshly. And then he pointed at Richy, who stiffened and then cringed. "You want to tell them or should I?" 

Richy's face was red as he winced painfully as we looked at him. "Ugh.....can we.....not do this.....please?" He begged. 

"Richy," I said apologetically. "What does he do? I'm sorry. But we need to know." 

Richy sighed now looking at Phil. He motioned to the bottle behind him. "Can I have a shot of that?" He asked weakly. 

Phil made a sarcastic look but poured a shot for Richy, which he quickly crossed over and downed it quickly. He was slow to turning around to face us. "My....dad, Paul is.....he's Duskwood's Drunk. He drinks a lot." He murmured. 

I stiffened as I remembered something. "Richy, that night....when Cleo was jogging past the junkyard. What were you arguing about with your dad?" I asked slowly. 

Richy looked pained but shrugged. "I.....have a little sister, Rachelle. She's five. She was.....supposed to be in her room, playing while I was finishing up with one of the cars. My dad was drinking and he left the back door open out into the junkyard. She got out there and I caught her just in time from tripping on a rusty bumper. She would have been cut up." He said shakily. "I....I run the garage. And I have to watch her at the same time because he's always too drunk to." He said now frustrated, but still wore a forced smile. 

"Does he have steel toes?" Herb asked seriously. 

Richy stiffened and then painfully nodded. "1970's vintage. Rico Moc. Size......15." He said slowly painfully. 

The very air grew cold as every single one of us stiffened in alarm. I felt my heart just stop as I looked right at Herb, whose face grew very hard. 

"H-Herb?" I choked out. 

Herb was already pulling out his phone and speed dialing. He turned away from me, waiting for his call to connect. "FBI Agent, Herbert Dennison calling! We have an emergency in a small town called Duskwood. I have a kidnapping slash murder in this small town! I need a Special unit down here now! And I need it three hours ago! We have a 30 year old cold case that just reopened with probable evidence to the old cult murders in the 70's! Case file 10975! Get some serious help down here now!" He barked before looking at all of us. "I want every one of you to get some rest and in a few hours, we're going into the forest after I detain Paul Rogers and The Donforts, and all of your parents, to be honest." 

"You really think any of our parents have something to do with this?" Dan asked now stiffly. 

"Maybe not all of them. But some of them. And I'm not taking any chances because judging of how much time we have, if this has anything to do with what I think it does," Herb said seriously. "We have two days left to find Hannah before she ends up dead." 

I felt as if the world just turned upside down and definitely not in a good way. Too much was coming out at once and it definitely confused all of us.

"I can't be here." Jake said now starting to close everything down. He did look uneasy about all of this now. 

Herb was suddenly there, grabbing his arm, making Jake flinch and try to pull away. "Don't run, Jake. You're under my protection now because you might be a key witness to all of this." He said seriously. "Your pursuers, if they come here for you, they have to get past me first. And let me tell you one other nickname I have. Shield. They call me Shield. And when I'm shielding someone, no one gets past me." 

I was immediately at Jake's side and so was Lilly. We both took his arms and pulled him close to us. "I know you don't but trust him. He will protect you." I said as I looked at him. 

"And I'm not letting you go, Jake. You're my brother. I just found you. And I'm not letting you go." Lilly said now wrapping an arm around him, as did I. 

A little shakily, Jake wrpped both arms around us too before nodding to Herb. "Okay. I won't leave." He said though he sounded like he was trying to convince himself. 

"We'll watch your back, Hacker dude." Dan now said grinning. "I don't like ya but if you're our Lilly's brother, then we'll have your back." 

Both Thomas and Richy smiled and nodded in agreement as they moved closer and held out hands to him. 

A slow smile formed on Jake's face but he reached out and shook both of their hands. He even looked at Jessy and Cleo who both made a face at him but nodded. 

"You're still creepy." Jessy remarked before flinching when Phil surprised her by dropping an arm around her shoulders. She looked positively shocked that he had. 

"Guess we're all in then." The bar keep stated. 

I just shared a grin with Jake before mouthing thank you to Herb, who winked at me. I knew with Herb standing his ground for Jake, my Hacker boy would be okay. 

"So, let's raise hell in Duskwood." Herb said now turning from us to look out the window of the bar.


	8. Raise Hell

When Herb said he was going to raise hell in Duskwood, he really meant it.

Once we got enough rest, which most of us crashed at Jessy's, if not all of us. She had offered and we were all just a little paranoid to be left alone, though Richy did have to run home with Thomas and get his little sister, due to he now didn't trust his own father to look after her. 

Even Phil crashed at Jessy's but his real excuse was to sit down and talk to her. 

I'm guessing what I had said to him before finally got through to him. He must have really thought about my words because while the rest of us was settling down to sleep with blankets laid down on the floor, I had seen Phil pull Jessy into her kitchenette and start talking to her. 

I couldn't hear his words but I could read his tone and they were gentle. And I did see the look on Jessy's face. 

She looked so happy to whatever he had said to her. 

I found myself smiling before looking at Jake, who was laying close to me, staring up at the celing. He looked uncomfortable and I knew it had nothing to do with laying on the floor. 

I knew he was extremely uneasy about staying in one spot. He was scared, even though he was trying to hide it. He was worried about being caught by his pursuers. 

So I scooted closer to him, surprising him and laid my head down on his chest, wrapping my arms around him. I had felt him stiffen but I didn't let go as I just held him. 

"Is this okay?" I whispered to him. 

Jake hesitated but then wrapped his own arms around me, now holding me close to him. I felt him slowly relax and even heard him sigh and rest his head on top of mine. 

"Yes." He had whispered back. 

And we fell asleep, holding each other. 

After a few hours later, I had woken up to snickers and laughter and I merely opened my eyes to see everyone staring down at us from Jessy's couch. All of them, even my damn dog was watching us. Lilly had the biggest shit eating grin on her face as she rest her chin on her hands with them propped on her knees. 

"Aww, would you look at that. They're spooning." Dan snickered. 

I felt my face heat up as I looked at Jake, seeing him still sleeping. He looked peaceful as he slept. He honestly looked like he needed the sleep as it was.

"You know, he is cute. He looks so comfortable there." Cleo snickered. 

"I'm jealous. If you wanted a teddy bear, I would have volunteered." Phil said smirking as he sipped coffee, only to grunt when Jessy elbowed him in the ribs. 

"If you're done staring at us, we do have things to do." Jake grumbled suddenly. 

I had jumped a little bit as I looked at him to see that he was now glaring at all of them. I felt my face flush again before I began entangling myself from him, realizing that at some point our legs had become intertwined with one another's as well. 

Everyone snickered for another measure before starting to move away while I was stretching my arms above my head. And I was starting to get up, I did feel arms wrap around my waist and tug me back down, making me yelp. 

I tumbled back down against Jake, not helping but smile as I looked at him only to have him peck a kiss on my lips before finally releasing me. I just smiled about it. 

"How'd you sleep?" I asked as I sat up. 

It was Jake's turn to stretch and even groan loudly as I did hear him crack his back a little bit. "Better than I have in ages." He muttered before sitting up.

I smiled at him, shaking my head. I was glad he at least got a little sleep. But my attention was suddenly caught when my phone rang and I pulled it out of my purse. I immediately noted that it was Herb. 

"Hi, Herb." I immediately answered as I held my phonenup to my ear. 

"Hey, kiddo. I just got done informing the special unit on what's going on. They're enroute towards Duskwood now. But I want you and Jake to ride along with me to the police station, so I can keep an eye on you two. Can you two be dressed and ready in five?" Herb immediately asked. 

I made a face as I glanced at Jake and saw him straighten when he noticed my look. "Oh, I don't know if he will be up for it. It'll mean people will see him." I said slowly. 

"I know he's uneasy about this but there's one particular person I want to see him. I want to see Mr Donfort's reaction to his son. It'll confirm my suspicion." Herb stated.

I grimaced but looked at Jake. "Hey, Jake. Herb wants you to come with us to the station. He wants to see your father squirm when he sees you." I said apologetically. 

Jake paused for a good moment before he looked straight at Lilly, who had heard that. Both seemed to share a look but then they smirked at one another. 

"All right. But as long as he ensures that I will be safe." Jake said now almost devilishly. 

Even I had to smirk at that but nodded. "We both will. Herb said he'll protect you. So will I." I turned my attention back to my phone. "He said okay, Herb. But as long as you ensure it. No one comes near him but us." 

"And no one will. Have Grim on guard by him. No police officer, no agent, no one will approach him or you." Herb said firmly. 

I just grinned and nodded. "Got it. Be ready in five." I said before hanging up. And then I looked up at Lilly as she moved closer. "Lil?" 

"I want to be there. I have to know why he lied." Lilly said firmly. 

I shrugged. "Herb's call but I'll try and swing it." I said before getting to my feet and offering my hand to Jake, who took it. I helped him up. "As soon as we're ready to go, we'll head out." 

I turned around only halt because I almost walked into Phil who had been standing there. I looked at him in surprise as he was smirking. I was fully aware that he was looking at my choice of sleep wear, which was yoga pants I borrowed from Jessy and still my halter top. 

And he was looking me over before peering over my shoulder at Jake. 

"Better hold onto her, Jake. I might try and steal her away. She's looking hot in those pants. I wouldn't mind getting her out of them." He remarked before winking at me and turning away.

I glared at him while feeling my face burning and even glanced back at Jake when I heard him growl. I was almost amused to see him even glaring at Phil, who was now being scolded by Jessy for his remark about me. 

"Tch, in his dreams. It's a good thing I have a thing for bad boys with a brain, not bad boys who uses their balls." I remarked before bumping his hip with my own. 

Jake gave me an amused look now but wrapped an arm around me. "Bad boy, huh?" He asked as he held me close. 

"Well, you are a Hacker." I said teasingly and then tugged away. "I'm going to get dressed. Be out in five." 

Once we were ready to go, Jake and I stepped out of Jessy's apartment with Grim and Lilly. He looked hesitant about stepping out into broad day light, squinting only a little at the light. 

It probably had been a while since he had been out in the day. 

But nonetheless, Herb was parked right out in front in my rental car. He waved us over, which we quickly went over and climbed in. He was looking at Lilly though. 

"She has a right to know why her dad is a douchebag, Herb." I said as I climbed in the passenger seat while Jake and Lilly climbed in the back with Grim in between them.

Herb merely shrugged but started driving down the small roads of Duskwood. He didn't even say anything against it so it was a good sign for Lilly. He did mention to have everyone else follow soon after so I sent the message and knew everyone would show up later. 

Either way, the moment we stepped into the police station and I immediately had Jake's hand in mine because when we got there, it looked like the special unit had arrived at the same time we did. 

Jake was uncomfortable and I knew it. 

He was looking around nervously as he clutched my hand and I gave it a light squeeze while noting that Herb was sticking close too. I just looked down at Grim, lightly whistling to get him to look at me. "Guard." I merely said pointing at Jake. 

My dog growled softly but did move a little closer to Jake, who eyed me curiously. 

"Trust me. No one gets past Herb. But if they do, no one gets past Grim." I whispered. 

The police of Duskwood did not look happy whatsoever that FBI were now in their station. It was one of those situations where a simple little kidnapping turned into something so serious that a higer division was now stepping on toes to ensure that something got done.

The police of Duskwood should have taken this kidnapping more seriously than they had. It was their own fault that higher ups was stepping in. 

And it was due to me becoming involved. 

Nothing had been done about the situation and the fact that the Duskwood government hadn't made it a bigger deal was what was getting them in trouble with Federal. 

So with Herb leading the way, he slammed the doors aside, making quite an entrance with us behind him. He had his stone cold look on his face that I knew so well. He meant business and when he meant business, there wasn't anyone who could say otherwise. 

"I'm guessing you're the FBI Agent in charge." An officer with a Sheriff's badge spoke up as he approached. "This is entirely unethical, sir. There is no need for you to be....." 

"Can it, Sherriff!" Herb said coldly as he marched us right up to him. "I've been up all night looking at evidence that says otherwise! The fact that you had all of this evidence of a serial killer in Duskwood says that it is necessary that we step in!" 

I grinned at the way Herb barked. I was only too glad it wasn't directed at me. 

"Evidence?! What evidence?! Stuff a bunch of kids told you?! It is the prank of a bunch of delinquents!" The Sheriff snapped back. 

Oooh, someone was daring to snap at Herb. I wondered how that was goingnto play out. 

"I have actual footage of the kidnapping, Sheriff! I've seen it with my own eyes! I've heard the fear in the Donfort girl's voice!" Herb barked now going toe to toe with the Sheriff, making him back down real quick with alarm. "You've had your chance to find the girl! And you've failed! Now it's my turn and I can guarantee that if any one on your police force is found out that had something to do with this kidnapping, there will be an investigation on your entire department!"

He whipped away from the Sherriff and looked at another Federal agent. 

"The entire list of suspects! Have they been detained?!" Herb practically barked now holding out a hand towards the man. 

The Agent held out a clipboard of papers, looking as stone faced as Herb but he shook his head. "All but Paul Rogers, sir. When we went to the Roger's Garage to detain him, he was no where to be found." He answered. 

"Run a BOLO on Paul Rogers immediately! I want him found and dragged here! If he engages in violence or tries to run, drag him down with dogs but he is wanted alive!" Herb barked.

The Agent nodded as immediately jumping right into it.

Herb nodded sharply before turning to the Sheriff, who was not looking happy whatsoever about any of this. "Are the parents all in the interrogation rooms?" He asked in a hard voice. 

"Yes but we can't hold them. They have a right to leave! They were brought without cause!" The Sheriff said coldly. 

"Not until the girl is found, they don't because I said so!" Herb snapped before looking at me, Jake and Lilly. "Come on!" 

I just nodded and started to follow with Jake and Lilly but we ended up stopping because the Sheriff blocked us. I noticed he was staring right at Jake, which was causing my Hacker friend to tense up beside me. I was fully aware that attention was now drawing to him and it wasn't exactly a good thing. 

"They can't go back there! They're not authorized! And that boy! I recognize him! He'sa wanted......!" The Sheriff had been saying before starting to reach out for Jake.

Jake tensed and stepped back. I felt him grab the back of my jacket I was now wearing. 

But Grim snarled at the Sherrif, now getting in between Jake and the Sherriff and Herb lashed out, catching the Sherriff's arm with a vice grip. 

"I'm going to warn everyone in this room right now!" Herb snapped as he held the Sherriff's arm tightly, now moving to stand right in between Jake and everyone else. "That goes for Duskwood's police and even MY people, anyone who touches this boy or tries to detain him or do anything to him, I will break your fucking arm! He is under MY protection because he has a lot of evidence that he is willing to hand over to me for his own protection! Do I make myself clear to everyone in this room?" 

It was dead silent as nearly every single person in the room looked highly unnerved by Herb's reaction. And quite a few nodded quickly, even Federal officials nodded, knowing that it wasn't just a threat from Herb. 

Releasing the Sheriff, Herb looked back at Jake, who did look unnerved, himself. "Stay close to me. All three of you. Grim, guard!" He said to my dog, who snorted in mid snarl but jerked his head. 

And with that said, Herb lead us to the back of the station towards a long corridor of offices and rooms. He too us into a viewing room that was connected to one of the interrogation rooms and sat us down.

In the next room was a woman, who probably was Cleo's mom, judging by her looks. She was looking nervously around the room, fiddling with her hands and even glancing at the mirrored wall that she probably knew what it was. 

Herb took a clipboard from a female Agent and started looking it over before nodding. I smiled at this one when she glanced at the three of us because I did know her. "I'll start with her. Stay in this room, Sissa. No one but you is allowed in here. If anyone tries to come barging in, Ember is allowed to sic Grim on them. And I don't give a shit of it's a cop or one of ours." He said gruffly. "There may be some kids showing up and they are allowed back here. Alert the others to pass them through. Ember knows them." 

The Agent nodded sharing a smile with me. "That serious, huh? All for a missing girl?" She asked. 

"It's more than this Donfort girl. It might have something to do with that case me and Steve worked on in 79." Herb said without even looking up from the clipboard. 

The Agent suddenly grimaced. "Ooh, that one? That had you and Danes obsessed for years. Finally found something then?" She asked now seriously. 

"Looks like it." Herb said now looking at her. "We're finally going to get justice for your mom, Sissa. If this has anything to do with what I think it does, yeah. It's serious." 

Sissa just nodded smiling before placing herself at the door. "Then go get them, Chief." She then eyed Jake and Lilly. "And those two?"

Herb just jerked his head towards Jake and Lilly as he started towards the interrogation door. "Protect them both. He is very important to this case. No one approaches him. Ember is his guard. He's now my second ward and if anyone tries to harm him, Grim is on orders to bite and kill if he has to." He said firmly. 

"Got it." Sissa said understanding. 

Jake and Lilly both gave me looks of surprise but I merely smiled at them before looking at Sissa. "Hey, Sissy. Nice to see you." I said to her. 

Sissa smiled back at me, folding her arms. "Hey, Ems. What the hell did you get yourself into this time?" She asked in amusement. 

I shrugged. "Ah, you know. Trouble, as usual. Driving Herb nuts with stuff." I told her. I looked at my two friends who were eyeing Sissa curiously. "This is Narsissa Reynolds. I call her Sissy because she's a sister figure to me. She's kind of like my big sister." I explained.

"What was that before? About your mom?" Lilly asked curiously to Sissa.

Sissa shrugged as she smiled tightly. "Before I joined the FBI, my mom was a victim of the original murders. I was six when they found her dead. She was one of the innocent victims." She told them. 

"Innocent?" Jake asked frowning. 

"Not suppose to discuss it but since it's your friend that is missing, why not?" Sissa said as she grew serious. "Back then, all of the murder victims of this case, when two victims were found. Danes uncovered that when two victims were discovered, one was guilty of sins and the other would be innocent. It was cycle that Danes believed to be religious of some sort." She explained. "My mother was innocent. She had never done anything wrong. Sure, she made some mistakes but everyone makes mistakes in their life." 

"Then Hannah...." Lilly was saying breathlessly. 

I smiled faintly. "Innocent. The other woman that was found....probably not so much. Speaking of which," I looked at Sissa. "I know Herb didn't ask but I am going to. Can we find out about the body of the woman that was found?" 

Sissa just smiled before bending over to get into her brief case near the door. "Already did. Herb ordered it last night. He wanted it looked into. We discovered the deceased was not from Duskwood and she was a prostitute. So therefore, one of sins. I won't go into gory details about how she died. But her name was Denise Greene. And after trailing her heritage a bit, she is a descendant from someone who was from Duskwood."

A spark lit up my mind as I thought about it and I realized something. 

"Greene.......wait a second." I remarked now looking at Jake. "Jake, the Legend of the Man Without a Face. Can you pull it up on your laptop?" 

Jake frowned but was pulling out his laptop and botting it up. We didn't pay much mind to what Herb was doing in the interrogation room with Miranda, Cleo's mom. I didn't really have much interest in her at all. 

But nonetheless, Jake pulled it ip and I sat close, reading the story again.

I read the story again, thinking very hard as I took in the names of each of the characters and then my eyes lit up as I came to the name of the Butcher's boy. I knew something was there immediately and something else. 

I looked right at Jake, my mouth open. "Green!" I yelped out. 

Lilly and Sissy frowned at me but Jake was starting to stiffen. I think he was catching on. I think he knew what thought just crossed my mind. 

"The bracelet. Emerald eyes." He murmured in surprise. 

I cupped my mouth and thought hard. "The bracelet that Hannah had. Jennifer Hanson's bracelet. It was an heirloom. Of the original Green. And this woman......Denise Greene, she wasn't born but her family was from here." I said thoughtfully and then looked right at Lilly. "Do you know who Iris is?" 

Lilly frowned in confusion. "Are you talking about Iris Hanson, original maiden named Green?" She asked in confusion. 

Jake and I stiffened as we looked right at one another but I was immediately on my feet moving towards the interrogation door. I ignored Sissy as she tried to stop me but I swungnopen the door to look at Herb. 

Herb looked startled and annoyed but whatever he was going to say died because of the look on my face. "Ember, what happened?" He asked now turning from Miranda. 

I paused as I looked at Miranda. "Do you know Iris Green is?" I asked hurriedly. I ignored Herb's startled cry. 

But Cleo's mom looked confused. "Who?" She asked. 

My face fell but I looked at Herb. "She doesn't know anything, Herb. We need to talk to The Donforts now!" I said rushed. 

Herb frowned at me before holding up a hand to Cleo's mom and then started out of the room, dragging me with. "What did you find?" He asked now shutting the door. 

I looked at Jake, who was already turning his laptop towards Herb to show him. "This does have something to do with the Legend, Herb! The cult.....they're trying to do something! I think they're trying to provoke someone! Worshipping them at the same time! It's something superstitious but I think that it's their goal! They're trying to get the Original Green, the REAL Man Without a Face to show himself because of the crimes done to his son!" I said quickly. 

Herb frowned deeply but did look disturbed by all of this. "Okay......so the cult believes the Legend is real and they're trying to prove it. But the supernatural is ridiculous. It's not logical. Why do all of this?" He asked confused. 

Lilly stiffened as something came to her own mind. "Wait.....the shadow over Duskwood." She murmured and we looked at her. "It's always been a story but a lot of the old folk believe that there's a curse on Duskwood, dealing with this Legend. Bad parents will always act up because of what happened to the Green boy. Therefore, it is believed that the Man Without a Face comes from the forest to punish sinners and their entire families." 

I straightened as it dawned on me. "The cult.....if it really is a cult.....they're killing people to break a rumored curse brought upon them by The Man Without A Face, punishment to bad parents who don't correct their kids when they're being cruel to other kids." I said in alarm.


	9. Toxic

The Donforts were squirming in the interrogation room. 

The moment we figured out the possibility of motive, it was time to meet Sylvester Donfort and his wife, and get to the bottom of his involvement of his daughter's disappearance. 

Herb had them brought in for us to see them and they did look uncomfortable, though more pissed on Mr Donfort's case. He did not look happy about any of this. He looked furious and he was pacing around the room, tugging nervously at a black tie he wore. 

I sat next to Jake and compared how he looked with his father. And in truth, I did see the resemblance. 

Jake had dark brown hair while his father had black. They did share some features with one another and even the eyes. I could see that Jake, Lilly and their father had the same eyes. 

There would be no mistake that Jake was his son. 

Mrs Donfort, however, did resemble Hannah with the same shade of hair and eyes. She was quite lovely and yet distraught with the knowledge that her daughter was missing. 

I felt deep down that she didn't know what was going on at all. She was innocent while her husband might not be. It made my heart ache a little about what she was about to find out.

How would she react to know that het husband slept with another woman and caused a son?

Well, we were about to find out. 

Herb let Sylvester Donfort sweat just a little more before he went in and this time, he turned on the intercoms that would allow us to listen to this interrogation. He turned to face the couple. 

"Who are you and why are we here?!" Mr Donfort snapped as he folded his arms and glared at Herb. "Why were we brought into the police station?!" 

Herb was looking down at his papers in his hand before he went over to the table where Mrs Donfort was sitting. And then he turned a harsh look onto the Mister. "I suggest you sit down, Mr Donfort. This is not going to be a pleasant talk with you." He said and there was a warning in his tone. 

"I will not sit down! Until you tell me.....!" Mr Donfort started. 

"I said sit down!" Herb snapped, his voice louder and echoed more in the room than Mr Donfort's did. It had made both of the couple jump and looked alarm but it made the man quickly listen. 

Once Mr Donfort sat, Herb nodded sharply before reaching down to the file on the table and flipped it open. In it were the pictures and reports about The Die Rabeneltern Society. 

Mrs Donfort gasped seeing the brutality in some of them but Mr Donfort stiffened. 

"Now I'm going to warn you right now. Do not lie to me." Herb said his voice hard. "I will know that you're lying. I was brought into this case just last night and I've heard and seen enough testimonials from your daughter's friends that has shed a lot of light onto the matter." He growled and he was looking only at Mr Donfort, who met his harsh look with his own. "Your daughter.....why did you pick her for the rituals, Donfort?" 

Mrs Donfort looked shocked but Mr Donfort narrowed his eyes at Herb. "I do not know what you're talking about." He said coldly. 

A grin I knew all too well spread out on Herb's face and I knew he was catching Donfort in a lie. 

"It wasn't suppose to be her, was it?" Herb said dangerously. "It was supposed to be someone else, wasn't it? That's why you had Poke stalking her, scaring her. You were waiting for Him to show up. Didn't you?" 

I even stiffened as I shared a glance with Jake beside me. I even saw Lilly look at him with alarm and on my other side, Sissa was watching very carefully. 

Mr Donfort just narrowed his eyes but was feigning confusion. "Who are you talking about?" He asked in disgust. 

Herb didn't bother to look down at the papers on the table but flipped the files over to reveal a single piece of paper. He placed a finger on it and pushed it towards Mrs Donfort. "This one is for your wife to read." He said firmly. 

Mr Donfort frowned now stiffening but shook his head as he slapped a hand down on the paper to stop his wife from seeing whatever it was. 

However,, Herb lashed out, catching the man's arm with both hands and without a single word, he shoved the man's sleeve up to his elbow. 

Even my breath caught in alarm when I saw it. 

A small tattoo of a raven on his forearm, near his elbow. 

"Let go of me! I will have your badge, you bastard!" Mr Donfort snapped now jerking away and Herb let him go but reached down for handcuffs he now had on his belt loop. 

Mrs Donfort, however, looked shocked down at the paper her husband had tried to hide from her. She stared at it, her face pale but with a shaky hand, she picked it up and began reading. "Wh-what is this?" She asked breathlessly. 

"A DNA test I had my people run last night from single strands of hair from your daughter, Lilly and the other, your husband's son." Herb said now slapping the handcuffs down and turned a glare onto Donfort, who paled a great deal. "I took the strands off of both of their clothes when their backs were to me. Different mothers, same father." He then pointed at Donfort. "You will explain to me right now of what you did to Hannah." 

Donfort just glared, now pushing his chair back so he could stand up. "I do not have a son! You are lying! To confuse my wife! You are making everything up!" He snarled. 

"Am I?" Herb said dangerously before he straightened and clicked his fingers towards the mirrored wall. "Ember, bring him in here. Stay by the door in case he tries to lash out at him."

I took Jake's hand into my own and stood. I had to pause for a second because he was hesitating. He was now looking very nervous, almost afraid to now step into the room so that The Donforts could see him. 

"It's okay. I'll be with you the entire way." I said gently. 

Jake looked at me before finally standing and allowed me to guide him to the door. I heard Lilly stand too and probably move after us but I knew she would stay back. 

We stepped into the room and looked right at the two Donforts. 

Mrs Donfort gasped, tears springing to her eyes and she clapped her hands over her mouth. She saw the resemblance right away. And she knew. 

Mr Donfort, however, took one look at Jake and snarled in disgust, which I felt Jake stiffen at. "Damn it to all." The Donfort growled. "I told her to abort you!" He snapped now no longer hiding it. 

Jake had flinched and I glared angrily at the man before us. 

But Lilly shoved her way past us and glared at her father, who paled immediately when he saw her. The very look on her face was just pure rage and disgust. "How dare you?! How dare you say that to him?! How dare you do that to mom?! Where is Hannah, dad?!" She snapped as she linked hands with Jake. 

Mr Donfort now looked pained. He obviously hadn't known that Lilly had been in the other room, nor did knew she knew about Jake. "Li-Lilly......" he started.

Mrs Donfort was on her feet, looking so angry as she marched over to us, placing a hand on Lilly's shoulder but stopping to look at Jake. She looked him over before turning to look at her husband and there was disgust on her face. 

"You.....Sylvester, what did you do?! Who was she?! Who was his mother?!" She demanded. "And why did you hide this from me?!" 

Mr Donfort looked at a loss. He didn't know what to say. 

So she turned back to Jake, who did look withdrawn and I did move a little closer just in case she decided to lash out at him. I saw Herb even growing stiff and ready for it. 

But Mrs Donfort looked right at Jake and her rage melted away. "Jake, wasn't it?" A light dawned in her eyes. "You're Jake. Hannah was talking about you before. You were talking to her. Did you know....that she was....?" 

Jake slowly nodded as he glanced uncertainly at me. He didn't know how she would react. "Yes. I'm Jake. And I did know who she was. My mother, Violette told me before she died. I was trying to.....reach out to only family I had left." He said quietly. 

"Violette?" Mrs Donfort asked now frowning before she narrowed her eyes and she turned to look rather dangerously at her husband. "Our housekeeper, Sylvester? Are you serious? The one you fired because she was trying to seduce you?!" She snapped.

"Actually, according to medical records I had pulled up after finding out the results about Jake being your husband's son," Herb now spoke up as he pushed some papers aside and picked one up. "Violette O'Shea was emitted to the hospital after being drunkenly attacked by an unknown perpetrator. He forced himself on her." And he slapped the paper down and glared at Mr Donfort. "Three months later, a record showed up that Mr Donfort demanded an abortion but it was faked because the nurse who was supposed to administer the cocktail grew a conscious at the begging of the mother did not do it." 

Mrs Donfort glared at her husband before shakingnher head as she turned to stand at Lilly's side and even put an arm around Jake's shoulders, much to his surprise. "Where is my daughter, you son of a bitch?" She hissed dangerously. 

Herb nodded as he looked at me. "It's time to finish up and get to the bottom of this. I'll take it from here. You lot just go back in there. Mrs Donfort is excused from interrogation. " He said more calmly. 

I nodded before ushered everyone out of the room back to chairs. I held Jake's hand the entire time and Mrs Donfort stood behind him, rubbing his now shaking shoulders soothingly because of the anxiety and stress I knew he was under. 

Mr Donfort was a lot more cooperative after the revelation. He didn't see a point in lying anymore after Lilly revealed herself to him. He was a beaten man and it showed. 

"You will be recorded for your confession, Mr Donfort. This will be used against you in trial. Do not lie again." Herb said as he sat from across from Donfort. "Are you involved in a cult like society, Mr Donfort?" 

Donfort sighed as he hung his head and folded his hands together. "Yes. I am. The Die Rabeneltern Society, branch of Duskwood." He said gloomily. 

Herb frowned now tilting his head. "There's more than one branch?" He asked seriously. 

Donfort nodded. "All over the world by now. Different cities, countries. But all of the same. Our division is Sign of the Raven. Not all has the same signs though." He said in a low voice. 

"What is your purpose for the cult activities you have performed?" Herb asked stonily. 

"It varies on different legends of each branch. Ours, it deals with the Sign of the Raven. The Legend of the Man Without a Face." Donfort said lowly. "It is believed that the town was cursed by Butcher Green after the disappearance of his son. William Green. He cursed Duskwood and swore that sinners would be punished for the crimes they commit. For decades, it was believed that every time a bad parent reacted so wrongly that it reflected their children, The Man Without a Face would emerge from the forests, at Midnight and mark the sinners' doors." 

"Superstitious mumbo jumbo." Herb said rolling his eyes. 

Donfort forced a smile. "You're not from Duskwood, Agent. You haven't seen him. Many has claimed they have over decades. He still lives after nearly two centuries. And the purpose of the Society is in deed a way to appease him. To break the curse he has placednon this town." He stated. 

Herb made an impatient sound now tapping his pen against the table. "So you have been killing people over a ghost? Forgive me, but that's bullshit." He then dropped the pen down loudly when Donfort started to speak. "Do not blame a ghost for what you do wrong! The problem is with many people is that they can't accept that they choose to do something wrong and they have to point their fingers at someone else! Take the blame and own up your own mistakes!" 

Donfort made a face but chose not to say anything. 

Herb snatched the pen and tapped it again. "Now, we'll go over more of that later. But right now, your daughter's life is at stake. What happened to Hannah, Sylvester Donfort? Did you mean for her to be the one?" He asked coldly. 

Donfort made a pained look but shook his head as his eyes flicked to the mirrored wall. "No. The plan was for it to be Jake. The curse was never broken with all of the other sacrifices. We always used women. We decided to use a boy this time. Problem is, things got....a little out of control." He said gloomily. 

"How long have you known about him?" Herb said harshly. 

"Since Hannah started talking about him a few years ago." Donfort said now sighing and rubbing his forehead. "I didn't know it was him. Violette was supposed to abort him when he was still in the womb. Obviously she didn't. But then Hannah began talking about this boy she met online. She was saying things. At first I amused. Annoyed but amused. She had her first crush." He made a face. "But then.....she slipped out that he had told her his mother's name. She told me it. And I knew it was him. I was afraid that my wife would find out. I had a son from a Housekeeper that I got drunk and I..I made a mistake....." he sighed now slumping. 

"And Jake was supposed to be the one. Not Hannah." Herb said his voice icy. 

Donfort nodded. "When he stopped talking to her because she did develop feelings for him, due to she not knowing who he was, I came up with the idea to lure him here. I didn't want him alive anymore. He was the one who could bring everything down for me." He said lowly. "Hannah did mention he was quite a genius with computer systems and analytical knowledge. She mentioned that he always liked to learn everything. So therefore, I set a trap. The information he has about the Society, it was a trap for him to reveal where he was. And when we caught him saving that information, the Society put a bounty on him. Made him start running." 

I felt a sour taste in my mouth as I held Jake's hand. I was not the only one who listened to this with such rage. 

"Your intent was to have him be a wanted fugitive to where he would be caught and brought to Duskwood for punishment." Her said dsrkly. 

Donfort nodded. "Our intent was to use him. But he was very good at evading the law. He began running and it was very difficult to catch him." He said with a sigh. "So therefore, we decided to try and trap him again." 

"You began terrorizing your daughter." Herb growled. 

"Yes. It was meant to be a scare tactic. I paid Poke and a few others to follow Hannah around. They didn't realize what they were doing, however. I made it sound like she had a boyfriend that I wanted to know about. It was just to scare her enough to reach out to Jake. And convince him to come here for her." Donfort said miserably. 

"What happened?" Herb asked tensely. 

Sighing, Donfort rest his elbow on the desk and rubbed his eyes. "We ran out of time. It was time for the sacrificial rites we planned. Jake wasn't anywhere to be found. And Hannah did discover that her therapist, Ulric Barrett was a part of the Society." He stated. 

Herb stiffened before glancing at the mirrored wall. That look was for Sissa, who I saw immediately getting on a radio and began giving orders to locate Ulric Barrett immediately. 

"And?" Herb went on. 

"Hannah discovered Barrett as a member of the Society. Wr had no choice anymore. She knew one of our branch. We had to use her. We couldn't let her inform anyone else what she found." Donfort said miserably. 

"Who attacked her and took her?" Herb asked his voice growing harder. 

"Paul Rogers." Donfort said painfully. "And he's under orders from the rest that if we're discovered at all before the ritual.......perform the ritual ahead of time." He winced painfully. "You've got to find her now. Problem is, only Rogers knows where she is. Find him and you find her. But it's deep in the forest. Start with The Forbidden Green Road." 

"Shit." Herb hissed before he was standing up and quickly moving towards the door. He threw it open and even I was immediately on my feet. "We move now! Sissa, detain Sylvester Donfort and lock him up. Have others search for a tattoo of the Sign of the Raven on all suspects. Any with the tattoo, detain them immediately!" 

"What about Ember and the kids?" Sissa asked now seriously. 

"I'm taking them with me. The forest is too big and I need as many eyes as possible on top of our people's! All of them are coming to search the forest for Hannah!" Herb said now motioning for me, Jake and Lilly to follow.


	10. Into the Woods

We had to be prepared for what was going to happen now. 

On all of the threats we had gotten, the warnings, all of the clues, everything, honestly had been pointing right at the forest. Hannah was somewhere in there and we didn't have a lot of time left for finding her. We running out of time now. 

Because if what Sylvester Donfort said was true, we now didn't have two days for the new moon to find Hannah. 

We had now. 

It was now a race to find Hannah before Paul Rogers did. We wanted to save her. He wanted to kill her for the sake of believing in something so stupid such as a ghost of Butcher Green cursing the town. 

I was determined to save Hannah before she was killed for this stupid legend. 

Dressing in black cargo pants and white tank top with my blue jean jacket, which I called my Nerd jacket because growing up, I was putting iron on patches all over it of Tv shows and movies and video games that I loved on it. 

My black hair pulled back into a ponytail, I tightened some hiking boots I had picked up and swung a backpack onto my back. 

I was ready to do some serious Hannah finding. 

I met up with everyone outside the motel, who were waiting for me so we could go wandering into Duskwood forest. 

Everyone was going. All of the friends, Jake, Herb and several FBI Special officers with dogs, even some of the Duskwood residents wanted to pitch in, even withbthe excitement that was happening to their little town.

Residents had been informed that while they were allowed to help with the forest search, under no circumstances would they be allowed to engage with Paul Rogers if they found him or touch anything that looked like evidence. They were strictly told that each volunteer did have to agree to a search for the Raven tattoo that would identify them as a cult member. 

Some did not like that and tried to disagree but they were searched anyway but most agreed after understanding the situation better than they had before. 

As it was, exactly fifteen people had been weeded out with tattoos of the Raven and they had been arrested when they were forced to admit that they were cult members. 

Surprisingly, however, only one cult member came forward willingly, or rather former cult member and that had been Old Gray, the watcher of Alfie Walters. He had quit the cult because of his love for the mentally disabled boy from the motel. And with his willing help, he identified a few more members of the cult.

Thankfully, and I was happy to see that the only two parents that seemed to be despicable were Sylvester Donfort and Paul Rogers. With the exception of Thomas's mother because she wasn't in Duskwood so they didn't know if she was.

All of the other parents were cleared from being apart of the cult but it also meant that their eyes had been opened from the way their kids had been treated, even by theirselves. Even if they hadn't meant to, they realized just how close their children had been to be the next victim of the cult. 

Either way, the forest search was now underway and this time, the kidnappers would not dissuade the town of Duskwood by mere threats. 

Not with the FBI now searching with them. 

"All right, Mr Hawkins, Mr Rogers." Herb started as he looked at Phil and Richy. "If we're going by the original trail, you need to show us where you were chased the night of Jennifer Hanson's killer. Do you remember the way?" 

Richy made a face but shook his head. He hadn't been out that way since he was very young. He even told us that. 

But Phil, however, tilted his head to crack his neck before he moved to the front of the whole group. "I remember. Hannah and I went that way when we went looking for the truth." He paused to look right at Thomas, who was surprised. "She never cheated on you, Thomas. She loved you enough to never do that to you." He added before he began walking.

I smiled as I glanced at Thomas, who had a huge wave of relief roll over him. "See. She never cheated. Now we're going to get her back." I said before tightening my backpack and began walking. 

The forest was definitely very thick as we walked in a long line. One after the other, Phil in the lead with several FBI officers and with the rest of us behind them and the volunteers of Duskwood behind us. 

All eyes turned towards the trees, searching for any evidence that stood out. 

I walked beside my friends and Jake, who was looking as well. My eyes taking in the sights of the forest. It was beautiful here but there was a feeling that made me uneasy. I even felt it as we passed through thin trees, into thicker foliage. 

We soon came upon a bridge and it was here, the trees were now so thick that they almost blocked out any sunlight. It was darker in that area, even with the sun high in the sky. 

The Forbidden Green Bridge as Phil once told me.

And we noticed it right away as we all crossed the bridge into the darker part of the forest. 

The atmosphere changed here, giving an eerie feeling as if we were not supposed to be here at all. I even felt it and even felt how uneasy most of the residents of Duskwood became. 

Even my friends looked uneasy as we entered this part of the forest. 

A croak suddenly caught my attention and I looked uo into one of the trees. My breath caught when I saw a flock of ravens in a tree and I hesitated. 

The ravens in the tree seemed to be watching everyone as they were passing into the darker forest regions. They were eyeing everyone and many were eyeing them just as uneasily. 

"They're just birds, everyone!" Herb suddenly called back, noting how uneasy many looked and felt. "They're not going to do anything! Let's move on!" 

I swallowed hard as I looked at the ravens but kept walking. My eyes however did land one rather large one that was sitting on a large branch and it's head was tilted towards me. 

There was.....something about that one that made me frown and stare up at it. 

It was watching me and croaking lightly and I was fully aware it was. It was watching with dark eyes but those eyes....they weren't black like a normal raven's were. 

They were very dark green. 

"You okay?" 

I jolted out of my thoughts as I looked at Jake, who had noticed me staring at the large raven. I forced a smile but nodded as I glanced back up at the raven, which was gone. It must have taken flight when Jake had spoke. 

"Yeah. I'm okay. Just...." I paused making a face. "I guess the forest is giving me the creeps. Now I get why no one comes out here. It's pretty creepy out here with all of these ravens." 

Jake merely smiled before lifting an arm and draping it onto my shoulders, making me grin. "Don't worry. I'll watch after you." He said lightly. 

"Tch," I laughed lightly but wrapped an arm around his waist. "Same to you." I remarked but then went on down the trail. "So I saw Mrs Donfort talking to you before. She looked pleasant towards you. What was she saying?"

Jake had a crooked smile on his face and looked amused. "Yeah.....that was an interesting talk. She was asking me if after all of this is over, if I had anywhere else to go. And to be honest, not really. After my mother died, I've been sort of drifting to different places. I didn't.....really have anywhere else to go. Mom and I were living in a motel and because I didn't have a job at the time, I couldn't stay there." 

I looked at him in sympathy. "Meaning you're homeless. Didn't you ever....try and get a job or.....you borrow money?" I asked wincing knowing what I was really asking. 

Jake shook his head. "I've worked small jobs but didn't make enough to actually afford a place of my own. The money I did make was just to feed myself. And I made it a point to never steal money. Not even for a roof over my head. I might steal information but never money. Besides I was being hunted by The Die Rabeneltern Society. I had to keep moving so they wouldn't find me." He told me. 

I felt my heart just give out to him. He lost so much when he didn't have much to begin with. And the only family he had, he tried reaching out to didn't really know who he was until now. 

"Anyway, Mrs Donfort offered me to stay with her, Lilly and Hannah from now on once this is over. She said she doesn't hold me accountable for what her husband did. So it's not all bad." Jake said now smiling. 

And I smiled back. I was glad. He now had a home after not having one for so long. He had a family. 

"Hey." I heard Herb speak up and we both looked at him as he was moving over to us. He nodded to Jake. "We're going to start fanning out to cover more ground. Ten feet apart for everyone so we can see each other." He told us. 

Jake just nodded as he unwound his arm from me and started to step off to the side but looked at me as if asking me to stay close either way. 

"Jake," Herb spoke up again. "I need to speak to Ember for a moment. Sorry, but it's something private." 

Jake frowned and so did I but we shared a nod and I watched him head over to Lilly. I just looked at Herb, frowning. 

"You don't like him, do you?" I asked now glowering at my guardian. 

"No, it's not that. I actually like him a lot." Herb said now walking beside me. "And so do you. But that's the problem. He's a good kid, Ember. And I overheard what you were saying. He had no home before now. So what he has going for him now, it's not going to be good if we take that from him."

I frowned, now feeling the dread settling in. I had a feeling that I knew where this was going and I really wasn't going to like it.

Herb sighed now looking at me. "You two have something in common. You're being hunted by dangerous people, Ember. You do realize the reality of the situation. Don't you?" He asked in a low voice. 

My heart twisted and I dropped my head. I knew all too well what he was saying. And it hurt. 

"Ember, you are growing too attached to these people. When you know once we find Hannah, we have to go home. We cannot stay here." Herb said and I could hear the pity in his voice. He didn't like it anymore than I didn't. "If you stay here, The McGreggor Gang will come here looking for you. And do you know how many people will get hurt or killed if they find you here?" 

I felt the tears in my eyes as I now played with my hands. I knew all too well what would happen. Duskwood would have a whole lot more to worry about than a Man Without a Face legend. 

"Yes." I murmured. 

Herb sighed again before placing an arm around me, tugging me into an awkward hug as we walked. "I'm sorry. But face reality, once this is over, we're leaving Duskwood. And I know how you feel about Jake and of these friends, but you can't stay with them. If you do, The McGreggors will come here." Hentold me gently.

A tear slid down my cheek but I nuzzled Herb's shoulder to wipe it away so that I wouldn't do it myself. I knew if anyone saw, they would know something was wrong.

"It's not fair." I murmured painfully. 

"I know, baby girl." Herb said in low voice. "You deserve to have friends like this. You deserve to have some boy like Jake. But The McGreggors won't allow it. They find out what all of these kids mean to you, they will use them against you." He then used his other hand to lift my face to look at him. "At least until the trial is over. If the trial against McGreggor goes our way, you can come back. But if it doesn't....." 

He didn't have to say it. 

"I'll be running for the rest of my life. And that's not fair to Jake and the others." I said miserably. 

"And to put the gang away, you have to be safe. So no risks while we're out here. Okay?" Herb asked me. 

I nodded in understanding. We were both fully aware that of anything happened to me, if Paul Rogers was the one who had been threatening me and he got a hold of me, it was all over on many accounts.

Suddenly, Grim began growling loudly, catching our attention and we looked down at him. He was sniffing the ground for something and he seemed to find something that interested him. 

"Hey, Grim. What's up, boy?" I asked now bending down beside him. 

Grim growled and looked towards the trees, to our far right. Something had his attention and he looked tense. He didn't seem to like it either because of the way he was growling. And then he whined, making me frown in concern.

Grim never whined, unless he was upset at me. Something was spooking him. 

"What the hell?" Herb asked now confused because he knew that was out of character for Grim too. "What's got him going now?"

We looked in the direction Grim was looking and noticed a certain part of the dark woods that was light. We could see it. We could see a tall, skeletal tree in a small clearing. It was a lone tree. 

I frowned now standing and making my way towards it, ignoring Herb when he hissed at me. I didn't mind him because Grim was following me. And I knew Herb would follow. 

My eyes were on the almost pale white tree. I stared at it for a moment before looking down at Grim when he whined again and began whimpering. It was then I stiffened. 

I noticed the carpet of black feathers all over the ground, some old and some new. 

Raven feathers everywhere. 

I turned my eyes back towards the tree and then stiffened when I saw it. 

The Sign of the Raven designed in the bark of the tree, in red. 

It was the tree from Hannah's picture. 

"Oh my......" I heard Jessy suddenly from behind me.

I didn't even have to look to see all of my friends now gathering around to stare at the tree. All of my friends, some of the Duskwood residents and the officers. I could feel their eyes on the tree. 

The tree was dead but it....felt alive all at the same time. 

"Detective Dennison," one of the officers said as he pushed past everyone to the base of thentree and I looked with everyone else. 

There was a single rope just dangling there, around thentree, frayed with age. It was so old and brittle looking that it looked like it could snap easily if someone tugged on it. 

"Now I get it." Jessy said and I glanced at her as her eyes were bright with anticipation. "This is the tree from the story! This is where the Hopkins boy tied up William Green and left him here! This is the exact tree!" 

I had to admit it but I think she was right. 

"This rope....it's ancient." Herb said now examining the rope. "It's definitely been here for years. The braiding in it is something you don't see anymore. Not in this century." He then looked around at everyone. "Okay, supernatural tree has been found. Now this is getting interesting. Fan out, everyone. Ten feet apart. We're sweeping the forest now. If anyone sees something suspicious, call out and an officer will come investigate! We have to be getting close to finding something now!" 

Everyone nodded, myself included and we obeyed. 

Spreading out in a very long line from that tree, ten feet apart, everyone began walking in the same direction. I kept Grim next to me though I was near Jake and Lilly. I would glance at both of them as I went but kept my eyes out into the dark forest. 

A few officers were now starting to hand out flashlights to people because it was getting darker and it wasn't because of the time. 

It was high noon and the forest was so thick that it started to look as if the sun was setting. There was even a chill in the air that made me even shiver. I didn't like this at all. We must have walked for two hours now after starting this trek to find Hannah and we still hadn't found anything. 

But as the day was growing longer, the forest grew thicker and I was really starting to worry. 

What if we didn't find Hannah in time? 

Where was Paul Rogers? 

I almost didn't want to know what would happen if we didn't.....

I suddenly stopped when I noticed something ahead of me, even when Grim started growling again. I had looked forward and felt my heart jolt when I saw a figure in a darker part of the forest. 

It was fifty yards away but I could see it. 

A man stood in the trees, looking right back at me. At least I think he was. I couldnt tell because of the potato sack over his head. He was wearing....quite odd looking clothes. Aged brown pants, shirt, vest.....a Butcher's apron, maybe? 

But it...to be honest, he looked like someone not from this time. 

And what made my heart start hammering was a big, black raven sitting on his shoulder, looking quite comfortable there. And both had their heads in our direction. 

"What the.....?" I said in shock as I stared at the figure. 

"Hey, Ember. You okay over there?" Lilly called. 

I jerked my attention from the figure and looked at her and Jake, who were both frowning at me. They looked confused at my reaction. I just blinked before looking back in the direction of the figure and was startled to see him completely gone. 

"Uh!" I muttered in confusion before making a face and shaking my head. "Huh.....I think the forest is playing tricks with my eyes. I thought I saw someone over there." 

Jake and Lilly frowned as they looked in the direction I did. They didn't see anything as I now didn't. 

I huffed before deciding to move in that direction. I don't know what I saw but I was sure I saw something. I might as well check it out. I figured if there was foot prints, maybe I did see someone. 

So making my way over in that direction, eyes trained on the exact spot. I heard shuffling and knew Jake and Lilly was probably following so to keep watch on my back. 

Problem was, a few feet from there, I heard a crack under my feet, felt the ground jerk and I heard a whoosh as the earth under my feet suddenly swallowed me up as I fell into a damn deep hole, into pitch darkness with a startled yelp.


	11. The Man Without a Face

I believe I was out cold for a few minutes. 

Because when I came to, I heard muffled yelling that seemed to echo all around and then grow louder as I groaned and rolled over to see a flashlight being shined down the hole. 

I groaned again as I rolled over onto my side before pushing myself up to sit up, rubbing my now aching head. 

"EMBER!! EMBER!!" I could hear Jake yelling down the hole and I could Lilly up there screaming for Herb. 

I just groaned and coughed for a second before looking back up, only to gape at how far I had fallen. It was a twenty feet deep hole that I just fell into. I could make out Jake standing at the top, looking down at me. 

"EMBER!! ARE YOU OKAY?! ANSWER ME!" Jake had yelled. 

"I'm okay!" I finally yelled back as I pushed myself to my feet. 

I looked myself over and was startled that I wasn't terribly hurt. My side hurt as if I had bruised the shit out of it and my head ached a little but nothing felt broken or strained. 

I looked down and noticed that I had fallen on a large pile of dead leaves and all kinds of soft stuff that must have fallen over time into this hole. "I'm all right, Jake! I fell onto leaves and stuff! I'm not hurt!" I called up. 

It was so dark down this hole that I couldn't see anything. I barely could make out a rocky wall but not by much. 

Frowning I got into my backpack to fish out a flashlight I had in it. The lens was cracked but thankfully it turned on when I pushed the button on it. 

"EMBER!" I heard Herb now yelling down the hole. "KID, ARE YOU OKAY?! ARE YOU HURT?!" 

I turned my head up again. "No! I'm okay, Herb! I'm fine! I just fell into a damn hole!" I called up. 

"HOLD ON! WE'RE GETTING SOME ROPE TO SEND DOWN TO YOU! WE'LL PULL YOU UP! DON'T MOVE!" Herb yelled back down. 

I didn't answer but looked around, now surprised. I noticed that it was a rocky crevise of some sort or an underground cave. I had fallen into some form of cave and judging by roots sticking up from the tunnel I had fallen into, my fall had been slowed from breaking bones, plus the pile of stuff. 

But my light found an opening of the cave and there was a distant light I could see dancing on the cavern walls. 

"I think I see a way out, Herb!" I called.

"NO! YOU STAY RIGHT THERE! DON'T YOU MOVE!" Herb had yelled.

I huffed now shifting my weight irritably but looked at the cavern tunnel. I knew I shouldn't but I was just curious of where it went or what that light source was. I didn't know what it was or anything but I had an urge to check it out anyway. 

Something was pulling me to go look. I didn't know what it was but it was like an itch I needed to scratch. 

"hannah......" 

I jolted when I swore I heard someone whisper right my ear. I looked around now rubbing at the ear I swore I felt a breath of warm air brush against it. "What the hell?" 

A croak made me jump again and I turned my flashlight towards the rocky hole only to freeze when I saw a large raven just sitting there. That large raven from before was sitting there, twitching it's head towards me and looking at me with deep green eyes. 

"Uh....!" I choked out startled. 

The raven croaked at me before turning and flying into the darkness. 

I blinked many times before narrowing my eyes and glancing up at the hole. I could hear Herb yelling up there, barking out orders to others. 

"Ugh...he's going to kill me." I grumbled but turned my light towards the hole and walked over to it, now peering out. I saw a rocky tunnel, leading further into the cave system, the distant light still flickering from down the corridors of natural stone. 

That raven was down the tunnel, seemingly to be waiting for me. It croaked once before taking off again. 

"Okay.....this is entirely creepy and Herb's going to kill me but I have to find out where this goes." I said trying to convince myself but I began walking. 

Through the rocky tunnels I kept walking, keeping my light ahead of me and just making sure to know where I was going. I needed to know my way back if I found a dead end. 

And exploring a cavern by myself was dumb enough. I didn't have anything that would get me out of a pinch if the cavern suddenly collapsed on me. 

But something was just drawing me down the cavern halls and I had to know why. 

I think I walked for five minutes before I began seeing the light brightening now. I frowned as I kept going, watching so carefully as I went. I just had this feeling that I was supposed to be here. 

Deep in my gut, I felt as if a hand was urging me on and I didn't know why. 

It wasn't there when I glanced at my shoulder but I couldn't help but feel a hand there, pushing me on to going this way. It didn't feel forced but more like guiding. I didn't understand it. 

But nonetheless, as I went on down the cavern tunnel, the light grew brighter and I began slowing down to be more cautious. 

Who knows what was down here and I had seen enough horror movies that put me on edge about what I was going to find in here. 

The light was coming from a chamber I noticed connected to a three way parting in the cave and it was coming from a far right tunnel while the other two were so dark and dismal looking. Though one on the far left had a gentle breeze coming from it and I knew from watching movies or documentaries, that a breeze in a cave could only mean two things. 

One, it was the way out of the cave. Or two, it was a cave trap that could make you think it was the way out, only for you to be lured deeper into the cave. I just really hoped it was the first one and not a cave trap. 

I went down the far right tunnel where the light was coming from, carefully and quietly moving. I kept low and ready to drop to the ground if I needed to as I walked. 

The light was brighter and I think....I heard crying, echoing off the walls. 

I felt my breath stalling in my chest and my heart hammered within but I stuck close to the walls now, slowly making my way through the tunnel before coming to a chamber at the end. 

I peered in. 

And gasped. 

The chamber of the cave was mostly empty but with a few things. A small lamp oil lamp, for one sat down on a wooden crate by a rocky wall. Some food wrappers tossed around the cavern floor, all empty from being eaten. 

A big huge bolder with thick chains wrapped around it so tight that it would be hard to remove. 

A sleeping bag with blankets and a pillow. 

And Hannah Donfort, chained to the rock, crying as she laid on the sleeping bag, her back to me. 

"Oh my god....." I said startled before hurrying into the chamver towards her now. 

Hannah screamed in a raspy voice, jerking as she turned around and looked at me wildly. She was so pale and so dirty and her reddish brown hair was a rat's nest and wild. She had dirt and dried blood smeared onnher face and her hands were caked in dirt and probably dried blood from her wrists by the looks of it. She had been tugging at her metal restraints, obviously trying to pull her hands out from the cuffs and ended up scrapingnher skin raw to where she bled. 

But she was alive and terrified.

I moved towards her but stopped as she cried out in fear, scampering back to get away from me. I just held up my hands to show her I had nothing but a flashlight. "Easy, Hannah! It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you! I'm here to help you!" I tried to reassure her. 

Hannah just looked at me with terror but confused as she looked me over. She saw that I wasn't the man in the mask but she was still scared. "Wh-who are you?!" She whimpered in a raspy voice. 

I slowly crouched down, slowly inching closer as I lookednher right in the eyes. This reminded me too much of how I was found when I had been kidnapped. I knew I had to be really careful right now. 

"My name is Ember Danes. You sent me a text message to help find you." I said slowly as I approached but would halt when she grew tense. "You asked for my help, remember? I'm here to save you. I finally found you." 

Hannah just stared in fear but highly confused and that's what made me stiffen. She didn't know what I was talking about. "I.....I didn't......the last person....I talked to.....was Jake....." she said in fear. 

I frowned now confused. It was dawning on me that she never sent me that message. If she didn't.....who did?

"Wa-wait.......Ember Danes?" Hannah said slowly her eyes now widening. "I know you! I read.....Stephen Danes.....! That book! I borrowed a book from Phil!" 

I just nodded slowly before scooting closer, still holding my hands. "My dad. Stephen Danes is my dad. You read my story. I was kidnapped once too. And now I'm here. Jake is here, Hannah. I've met him. I helped him find you." I told her. 

Hannah looked shocked but relief washed over her. She looked like she would sob in happiness right now and she did. "Jake?! He came for me?!" She asked now crying and scooted closer to me. 

I smiled at her and held out a hand towards her. She tensed but then slowly reached for my hand, now clutching at me. I moved closer to her, wrapping an arm around her so she could collapse against me. 

"Everyone did. Thomas, Jessy, Cleo. Dan, Richy and Lilly. And Jake. We've all been looking for you. Your friends......they never gave up. They went through Hell looking for you." I told her gently before pulling her away. "Okay, we need to get you out of here before Paul Rogers shows up. Do you know.....?"

Hannah stiffened but pulled away, looking at me in alarm. "Pa-Paul?! He's.....no!" She was saying. 

I frowned at her. "Paul Rogers. Richy's dad. He's the one who attacked you and took you." I told her. Something was wrong here. 

Hannah looked terrified at me but shook her head. She was shaking violently now as she looked wildly at me. "No! No it wasn't him! It wasn't Paul!" She said now in a shaky voice. 

I felt cold all of a sudden. The blood was draining from my face down to my racing heart now. "Who.....who.....?!" I was saying. 

Hannah started to open her mouth to say but she looked past me and the terror grew as she saw someone now pounding towards us. She screamed and threw herself back. 

I was whipping around only to feel something hard collide with my face and blinding pain exploded in my head as I was thrown to the ground. I could not stop from screaming myself as I hit the ground. 

I felt someone grab me and try and pin my arms but I was immediately reacting by lashing a foot and feeling my heel slam into my attacker's stomach, causing him to grunt as he staggered back. 

I barely even looked up at the attacker as I was scampering to my feet. I just allowed my body to move, getting up and lunging back at the man with the mask over his head. I didn't think at all. I just acted as I lift my flashlight and brought it hard down on the masked man's head, against his temple.

The man who had attacked me grunted and was sent to his knees, now whipping his head up to look at me with that mask but I didn't stop myself as I brought the flashlight down against his head again which made him collapse. 

He didn't move again. 

I didn't kill him because he was still breathing and groaning but he didn't move. 

My chest heaved with breath as I stood over him. I had not expected that at all but I should have. I didn't know that Hannah and I weren't the only ones in this cave. But I should have been watching my own back. 

I felt something warm sliding down the side of my face and i reached up brushing it aside only to find blood on my hands. He had hit me hard enough to split my scar on my eyebrow and make me bleed.

The man at my feet was much taller than me and much bigger but he wore the all black outfit I had seen in Jake's video of Hannah's kidnapping. He wore the mask I remembered seeing. 

The kidnapper.....the one who threatened me. 

I felt my anger boil uo but I shoved it aside as I dropped down, grabbing the mask and not caring if I took hair with it and ripped it off. 

I should have known. He hadn't been a suspect on my list but I should have known. 

It was the Sheriff. 

I glared down at the man, shaking my head but I ignored it as I began searching his pockets quickly. I found a hunting knife on his belt, which I took for myself and then found the keys. 

I was quick to rushing over to Hannah, even in her panic and quickly began unlocking the cuffs on her wrists. I ignored her whimpering as I grabbed her arm and pulled her unsteadily to her feet. 

"We have to go now!" I practically barked before grabbing the lantern and dragging her after me. 

Hannah was unsteady on her feet but she stuck close to me as we hurried out of the now dark chamber. I just held the lamp and dragged her down the cavern tunnel, moving back to the three way passage. I had to pause for a second to decide which way to go. 

The aching in my head from getting punched was throbbing. It made it hard to think. I didn't know which way to go. 

And then I heard a croak and I held up the lamp high to see up ahead, the raven from before. It was sitting in the middle of one of the tunnels, looking as if it had been waiting for me. 

I didn't think but just went with my gut and dragged Hannah down that tunnel with the raven, which took off and lead us down the tunnel. 

I didn't know how much time I had but I had to get Hannah out of here. Before the Sheriff woke up. 

"Stupid son of a bitch." I growled to myself as I walked. "The Sheriff.....of all fucking people....." 

"His....name is Alan." Hannah spoke and I looked at hernin surprise. "Alan Millan. I fo-found out the same day I had been taken. I called....him to confirm it and then called Phil so I could tell him....he doesn'tlook the same as he used to..he changed his looks..."

I didn't even look at her as I dragged her down the cavern tunnel after the croaks of the raven. I didn't even know why I was following a bird but maybenit knew the way out and that was why it was in here. "Why would you call him?" I asked as I led her quickly. 

"To remember his voice. He killed that woman.....Jennifer." Hannah said shakily. 

I just nodded as I kept going. I only jumped when we heard yelling from behind us. "Shit! He's awake! Let's move!" I barked and we both started running even though it was hard for her. 

And thankfully, it paid off. 

Because of us, was bright light of outside. 

I kept a tight hold of Hannah as we burst out of the cave into open forest and just started running as fast as we could manage. I didn't even bother to look around as I let go of Hannah's arm so I could get my phone.

We kept going as I was speed dialing Herb, not wanting to stop at all. I had to slow a little because Hannah did but dropping the lamp after turning it off, I grabbed her arm again and was trying to hurry along. 

"Ember?!" I heard Herb's voice startled voice. 

"Herb! We're out of the cave! We are being chased by the kidnapper! I think it's just sixty yards away......!" I was yelling. 

Suddenly I heard Hannah scream and she was yanked away from me, yanking me to a stop. I turned sharply only to get barrelled into and knocked to the ground. I managed to scream as I dropped my phone as I was being pinned to the ground but it was soon cut off as two thick hands wrapped around my throat and began squeezing. 

The Sheriff, Alan was on top of me now choking me, looking furious and mad as he attempted to crush my air out of my body. 

I heard Herb yelling on my phone but I paid no mind to him as I began slapping and kicking at Alan as he just choked me, trying to kill me. I felt tears filling my eyes s I tried to fight him. I heard Hannah screaming from where she had been thrown. 

"You! You should have never meddled with other people's affairs!" Alan yelled furiously at me. 

I choked and gasped as I was starting to see darkness and yellow spots in my eyes. I couldn't breath! He was killing me! 

Suddenly, a body slammed into Alan, throwing him off of me and I gasped as air exploded back in my lungs. I looked just in time to see Jake rolling with the Sheriff and throwing punches into his face before diving back as Alan lashed back out at him. 

I just laid there, my hand now against my now crushed throat, gasping and sputtering for air as Jake was quickly retreating to me, but his furious eyes qere on Alan as he was moving towards us and yanking out another knife. 

Jake reached me grabbing at me to shield me with his own body from the killer. 

Alan roared as he charged at us. 

Grim snarled as he zoomed past us and bit down on Alan's arm, now ripping him to the ground. He began chomping as the man screamed as henwas being ripped into by my dog.

I heard yelling over Alan's scream as Grim yanked him to the ground, biting at him and ripping into his arms as he tried fighting him off. It did not help that Grim knew when he was being swung at and he dodged, still ripping.

I heard shouts but my sole attention was on Alan as he was being pinned by Grim and then I looked at Jake as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. 

"HANNAH!" I heard Lilly suddenly scream and I looked to see many running through the trees our way. 

My friends, Herb, the FBI were all racing towards us. The officers were pulling out their guns to train onto Alan but all of my friends looked shocked to see Hannah there with us. I had even seen Jake jerk to look at her in surprise. 

Lilly was the first to reach Hannah, tossing herself at her and throwing her arms around her older sister. Thomas was soon there, taking both of them into his arms and everyone surrounded them. 

Herb had stumbled close by just to look at me before training a gun onto Alan and hurrying over to grab Grim's collar. "Grim! Down!" He ordered loudly. 

My dog growled and snarled but soon released Alan, who laid bleeding and groaning on the forest ground. 

But nonetheless, we were all surrounded by FBI who were now moving to arrest the Sheriff. 

I felt Jake's hand now touching my neck, checking my red marks now before making me look at him. "Are you okay?" He asked quite out of breath. 

I just nodded as I clutched onto him, rubbing at my throat with one hand along with his own hand. I was still having a hard time breathing but at least I still was. I had found Hannah and got her out. 

I knew from this moment......everything was going to be okay.


	12. The Hacker Strikes

As it turned out, Paul Rogers was not a cult member. 

After Alan Millan had been arrested, Herb had gotten to the bottom of the truth. He had been so furious to find out that it had all been a lie of chasing Paul Rogers and not the real kidnapper. 

We found out that Sylvester Donfort had lied about it being Paul Rogers as a misdirection lead so we would be hunting for one and not be looking for the real culprit. 

Paul Rogers, himself, was found tied up and hidden in one of the junkyard cars after doing some serious looking into it. 

And he was cleared from having the Raven tattoo. 

As for Alan Millan, it was reported that he went missing years ago before Phil took over the Aurora. He had gone missing because he had underwent plastic surgery to change his appearance to hide the fact that he had murdered Jennifer Hanson. 

And when he came back with a complete new look, new identification, new everything, no one had even knew who he was, other than a new Police officer who eventually became the Sheriff. 

It was proven that he had been the murderer of Jennifer Hanson when Herb ordered the bracelet to be really looked at after his arrest and they found a hint of years old blood under one of the stones and after investigating the DNA sample, it belonged to Alan Millan.

The story was Alan had been going under another name at the time of Jennifer Hanson's murder and it had been his real name. 

Alan Hopkins. 

He was from Duskwood but had been gone for a while over ten years ago, but he came back with his then girlfriend, Jennifer. No one realized he was a Hopkins and when he came back to become apart of the cult, Jennifer was supposed to be his first sacrifice. 

He ended up botching it because Phil, Hannah and Richy had seen him do it so he ran away that night after dumping the body. 

A few years he came back because people had forgotten about him and Sylvester Donfort had made that happen for him. He came back as Alan Millan and ran the bar now called The Aurora. 

For years he had been there up to the point when Phil moved to Duskwood and started working there. And he didn't remember Alan because that night, he had been wearing the mask. 

Up until his ownership of the bar, Alan had gotten a lot of trust from people. 

It was a few years ago when he left again, disappearing without a trace because of Iris, who we found out was Jennife's sister in reality, not her mother. She had recognized Alan as Jennifer's boyfriend and the same day he disappeared, so did she. 

He had killed her and dumped her body somewhere in the forest and then he left to get surgery done to change the way he looked so no one would recognize him again. 

He came back as the Sheriff, Marcus Hopkins, changing his last name back to his actual last name and changed his first name. He became a police officer so he could get rid of evidence of Jennifer Hanson's murder and his involvement in the murder. 

And of course, so no one, not even Phil recognized him when he returned to Duskwood to stay involved with the cult. 

Donfort had tried pointing fingers at Paul Rogers to continue the sacrifice of his daughter. He had tried to continue the work with Alan. To break a stupid curse that they believed to be on the town. 

I had almost been killed in the process but I had found Hannah alive and rescued her so while Herb was mad at me for that risk, he also wasn't because we had found her alive and gotten to her in time. 

Nonetheless, The Die Rabeneltern Society of Duskwood was finished. 

Duskwood would be safe from now on from the cult and a lot of relationships would be repaired between parents and their kids. It had been a huge eye opener for many. 

Even Paul Rogers. 

This experience he had gone through, of being blamed for kidnappings and murders was really going to sober him up and start being a better father for Richy and Rachelle. He was going to start attending AA meetings and get off of his alcoholism. 

Things were going to change drastically for Duskwood. 

However, it was funny. 

Especially when Hannah finally met Jake for the first time, face to face. She had been so happy to see everyone again but she had been extremely happy to meet Jake. 

But shocked when she found out that they were brother and sister. 

She had not known, and awkwardly admitted that she still cared for him in some degree. But her heart, she finally admitted belonged to Thomas. She was still happy to know that Jake would be around and they could care for one another in a different way. 

Things were going to be okay. 

So after a few days after that terrible experience, we all celebrated at The Aurora together. We had given Hannah a few days to be checked out, examined for any injuries other than she already had. She had been pretty malnourished because of her kidnapping but on a fast road of recovery. 

Once she was ready again, we had our celebration. 

Everyone was having a good time, even Herb as he chatted away with Mrs Donfort at the bar. I was so happy to be with my friends of Duskwood, leaning into Jake's arms, which had been funny for Hannah because she didn't seem to mind whatsoever that Jake and I seemed to have feelings for one another. 

She was actually excited. 

But deep down, I knew it was short lived. 

Because while we were celebrating, I knew I would have to break the bad news and ruin it. I didn't want to tell them but I knew if I didn't, Herb would have to and he preferred me doing it.

So after a few drinks, I sobered up greatly as I stared at my glass. I was at the bar while everyone else was dancing or having a few rounds at the dartboard. 

I sat there, looking at my drink with misery. I was trying to think of how I would break the news to everyone. 

"You don't look too happy. Not having fun?" 

I looked at Phil as he came over to me with another drink, setting it down in front of me. I just sighed as I glanced towards my friends who were all laughing and smiling. 

I looked at Jake, who was quite alive with cheer while joking around Dan. And my heart ached. 

"It's not that." I murmured. 

Phil sighed now leaning against the bar in front of me. "You have to leave, don't you?" He asked quietly and he nodded as he glanced over at everyone else. "I get it. This whole shit is over for us but for you.....you still got shit going on." He looked back at me. "When's the trial?" 

I just shook my head as I looked back at my glass. "Another three months. Three months of being locked back up in a safehouse, having to hide from murderous gang members all because my dad was doing something good and I paid for it." I felt a tear slid down my cheek which I quickly wiped away. 

"Hm." Phil hummed before making a forced chuckle. "You could pull an Alan and change your name. Stay here in Duskwood. The town owes you and can hide you. Small towns like this, we look after each other. Or at least we're going to." 

I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head. I really wished I could. "It won't work. The McGreggors are actually pretty resourceful. And Dominique McGreggor would pay a lot of money just to get information on me. One slip of me being here, he will burn this town to the ground looking for me." I said miserably again. 

Phil sighed before reaching out and giving my hand a light squeeze. "Then kick his fucking ass at the trial and put him away for good. And then come back here so they're not sad." He told me. 

I forced a smile and shrugged. "How should I tell them?" I asked glancing over at everyone. 

"I'm not going to lie. This is going to hurt them. But they need to know, Ember. Just straight up tell them. They will understand. Jake will understand. He probably understands more than anyone else in this town." Phil said squeezing my hand again. "But whatever you do, tell them now. Not before you leave. So they can be prepared for the sadness that's going to follow." 

I slowly nodded and gave him a thankful smile. I tugged him closer to me and then pecked him on the cheek, making him smile at me before pushing off the stool. 

I would start with the most important person to me first. 

I walked up to Jake, taking his arm with mine, making him smile at me. I gave him a forced smile before lightly jerking my head for him to follow. He gave me a curious smile but allowed me to pull him after as I lead towards the back rooms. 

I paused to share a look with Phil and when he nodded, I led Jake in the back, away from the noise and prying eyes. I had to tell him alone.

Jake looked curious but amused as I took him into the back room, his hand holding mine. His smile did start to falter a little when he started to pick up my emotions. 

And by the time we were away from everyone else, he was looking concerned. 

"Something's wrong." He finally said when I closed the back room door. 

I looked at him with a sad smile but nodded. "I wanted to tell you before everyone else. This is....not going to be easy for me, Jake. So don't say anything yet. Not until I tell you." I said before going to a table Phil had in the room and sat down on it. I reached for Jake's hand, which he gave and moved close, wrapping his arms around my waist and settling between my knees. 

"What's wrong?" Jake asked softly.

I just lowered my head, eyes drawn down. I wasgoing to really hate this. "Now that....it's over, we did what we started out to do together. I came into this, to help you find Hannah. You...." my breathing became harder as emotion was taking over and I looked at Jake with tears. "Tomorrow, Herb and I have to leave Duskwood." 

Jake now looked troubled as he began understanding what I was telling him. He frowned softly before reaching up to cup my cheeks and press his forehead against mine. 

I closed my eyes just leaning into him. "I'm sorry....." I said softly. 

"Don't be." Jake said softly back as he wrapped his around me and held me close. "When we started this to find Hannah, neither of us knew that we would fall for each other. It was never my intention to fall in love with you but I did. And I know it was the same for you." He said softly as he just held me. 

"Problem is, I'm still being hunted. You're free but me? I'm not." I said burying my head into his chest before I looked up at him. "Herb and I have to leave Duskwood. If I stay, they will come here and they will hurt everyone. You and your family. I can't allow that."

"When I told you I had no intention of being caught because it would separate me from you, I meant it, Ember." Jake said as he cupped my face and kissed me.

I felt my tears just wash down my cheeks as I kissed him back. My arms wrapped around him, pulling so close as we deepened the kiss more passionately. He kissed me like I'd never been kissed before that it took my breath away. 

He took my breath away and I didn't mind. I didn't want to let go. I didn't want to stop. I wanted him so badly to be a part of my life. 

But.....Herb's words came back to me and I had to. 

I had to break our kiss and look tearfully at him. I had to lightly, gently push him back. 

"You just got your life back, Jake. You have a family now. You have sisters that need you. A new mother. You can begin your life here. And I am not willing to take that from you." I said regretfully. "I'm sorry, Jake. But I'm going to repeat your words. It's too dangerous. I will not put you in that danger." 

Jake frowned at me and I knew it hurt us both but I couldn't allow him to break away from the one good thing that happened to him. 

Sighing, Jake turned slightly away but still watched me. "I'm not giving up on you." He said before he turned away. I noticed that his eyes grew a little hard and he looked so serious as he now practically glared at the wall. 

But without another word, he turned and walked out of the room. 

I just sat there, now crying as I wrapped my arms around myself. I just.....couldn't move right now. I was so hurt and I knew he was too. It hurt that we couldn't be together because of the threat against me. 

I felt a sob rush out and I covered my face with my hands, now just shaking uncontrollably. 

I don't know how long I had been there, crying but the next moment, I realized someone stepped into the room and gather me up into strong arms and I merely just had to glance up to see the bat tattoo on Phil's neck. 

He hugged me and then helped me off the table, now guiding me out of the room back put into the bar. I couldn't help myself as I buried my now flushed face into his shoulder as he guided me out and then whistled loudly to catch someone's attention. 

Immediately, I felt my friends surround me and hands were on my back as I finally looked up at everyone now surrounding me. 

"Ember?! What's wrong?" Jessy asked now concerned and then turned a glare onto her older brother. "What did you do, Phil?!"

Phil turned an irritable glare back on her. 

But I lightly slapped at his chest to cut off his retort while shaking my head. "He....he didn't do anything. He's just trying to help." I said now wiping at my eyes as I looked at everyone and even met Herb's pitiful look. He knew what I had done and he felt so sorry that I had to repeat it to them. "I....I.....I have to leave Duskwood." 

Everyone stiffened, now alarmed. From Jessy to Richy and Hannah and Lilly. To Dan and Thomas and Cleo. They all stiffened as they stared at me in worry. 

"Wait.....why?" Dan asked now alarmed. 

"Because of The McGreggors Gang." Herb spoke up now moving forward and reaching out for me. 

I nodded and pulled away from Phil to dive into my guardian's arms, now burying my face into his chest. I couldn't say it anymore but I was grateful that he could.

"She did what she came here to do. To find Hannah. To reunite Jake with his family. And even do her old man proud by putting away several bad guys." Herb said softly. "Problem is, her troubles ain't over yet. She's still a key witness to the scandal against one of the richest bastards on earth and he wants her dead before she can testify against him." 

"That's not fair!" Lilly suddenly blurted now angry. "She....she can't leave! She's one of us! And Jake!" 

Herb sighed holding onto me. "Life ain't fair, Lilly. It's not fair to good people like you guys. And like Ember. Not when there is such evil in this world like the cult and the McGreggors Gang. Good people sometimes gets stomped on. And to protect your town, Ember has to leave tomorrow. I have to take her home and hide her in a safehouse until the trial against The McGreggors. However, if something happens to her before then, it's over. Domonique McGreggor gets away with all crimes against her." 

"That's fucking bullshit." Dan growled now displeased. 

"I'm guessing you told Jake first and that's why he looked so mad leaving." Hannah said softly as she looked at me with pity. 

I glanced around, noting that Jake indeed was gone andnit made my heart ache more. I sighed but nodded. "He wasn't happy about it. He said he wasn't giving up on me but.....there's nothing he can do. Nothing anyone can do." I said now sniffing and wiping my eyes. "I can't put you at risk. Not after everything that's happened to you." 

"But what about you?" Richy asked frowning deeply. "You deserve some happiness too." 

I just smiled weakly as I once again wiped my eyes but shrugged. "And I got it thanks to all of you." I said now smiling. "Believe me, in the past ten years, I've never more happier than I am right now after meeting all of you. It's been a long time since I've smiled. And you guys made it happen. So....I even have hope. If you can have hope, then so can I." I stated now proudly. 

Everyone smiled at me before Jessy was the first one to move forward and gathered me into a hug. And slowly, everyone did and I ended up in a large group hug. 

"Phil, if that's your hand on my ass, I'm going to smack you." I grumbled suddenly and everyone laughed as we broke away from one another. 

So it happened for that last night. 

To spend my last night with my friends, we went back to The Donforts house since it was the biggest and we all were going to have a slumber party, together. 

All of us, including Phil since he kind of was apart of the group now. He even brought more drinks for us to have while we played games together. 

Mrs Donfort had more than happy to accommodate everyone for the last slumber party of me being here. She had not liked it when we told her why some of us were upset. And Herb had to explain to her why he was staying as well to keep an eye on all of us. 

The only one missing was Jake, who did now have a room in this house. 

Lilly had gone upstairs to get him, because he was home but returned looking aggravated beyond all reason when she told us that he wouldn't come down. He must have been pretty upset if he didn't want to spend the last night with me and everyone. 

It hurt a little bit but I knew he was hurting as much and I would just make it easier by letting him vent on his own. 

It's not like we were officially seeing each other. 

But nonetheless, I had what little fun I had left. 

And late that night, after Dan passed out first and then we all slowly did, I had nearly been asleep when I felt someone knelt down beside me and I opened my eyes to see Jake now moving to lay down beside me. 

I just smiled either way as I let him pull me right up against him and hold me close to his chest. He rested his head right beside mine, hugging me close. 

"I'm sorry. For walking out like that. I just had to process it." He whispered to me. 

I just smiled as I curled into his arms, now wrapping mine around him as I turned slightly so I could face him. "I know. It's a lot and so sudden." I whispered back before I pressed my head against his warm chest and he rested his on top of mine. 

"I'm not giving up on you." Jake whispered as I started drifting off. 

I just moaned sleepily but fell asleep in his arms and felt him doing the same. 

"What the hell did you do, Jake?!" I woke up to Herb booming. 

I jumped suddenly at being woke up like that and even heard everyone else jump and yelp as they were awaken.

"I'm up! I'm up! Am I late for work again?!" I heard Dan yelp as he sat up sleepily and then paused. "Oh wait, I don't have a job."

I was once again entangled with Jake, sleeping on the floor of The Donfort house, and yet woken up rudely as Herb stood over me and Jake, glaring down at him as he groaned and rubbed his eyes. 

I blinked sleepily several times before glaring up at Herb as I sat up now rubbing my eyes. "Herb, what the hell?! Why are you shouting so early?" I grumbled as I looked apologetically at everyone as they were rubbing their eyes and looking confused. 

"I want to know what the hell your little boyfriend did last night." Herb said though there was a twisted smile on his face. He had hands planted on his waist as he stood like a disappointed parent scolding a child. 

"What?" I asked roughly before looking at Jake, who for some reason looked very smug as he now folded his arms behind his head. 

Oh boy. 

That looked a little too mischievous even for my tastes. 

I gaped at him before looking at Herb who was grinning now. "What happened?" I asked now highly suspicious. 

Herb chuckled but then looked at Mrs Donfort who was now sipping coffee while dressed in silk red pajamas and a white bathrobe. She looked amused as well. "Can I turn on your TV, Mrs Donfort?" He asked. 

"Please just call me Victoria, Herb. And yes. Show her what my son did." She said in amusement which earned some looks from the others. 

Herb grabbed a remote off a coffee table and turned to a large flatscreen TV on the wall and turned it on. He had to flip a few channels to find a news station but what showed on the TV made my eyes grow wide and I woke up right away. 

On the news, it read: Massive McGreggor Manhunt and Millionair Scandal Exposed by Mysterious Hacker.

"Oh my god..." I heard Cleo take the words right out of my mouth. 

"Breaking news has spread across the globe!" A news reporter spoke on the TV. "Just last night, a mysterious message had been sent to what is reported to all news stations across the country about Millionaire Domonique McGreggor and criminal activity that he has been rumored to involved in. Several security footages from McGreggors' facilities and even his own home has been posted all over online about the Millionaire by a mysterious individual who calls himself NYM-OS. A lot of the security footages are related to criminal activity that the Millionaire seems to be a part of as well as planned murders of people, one name we have been warned not to reveal by the Hacker, himself and FBI officials."

A few security feeds was suddenly shown on the news that appeared to be from McGreggors own home office. The rich man, himself, a rather suave and greasy kind of man who obviously spent a lot of money on his own appearances, was seen with some questionable looking people. 

And there was audio. 

It was security footage of McGreggor offering the gangster looking thugs to hunt down and shoot many people. My name was mentioned several times during the recording, as well as a US Senator who was against McGreggor. 

While it was serious to be plotting the murders of people, in general, to add a political figure who had more authority than a Millionaire, that would definitely be taken seriously by the Government. 

"With all of the recordings of personal footage revealed of McGreggor, there was a message from the mysterious Hacker himself and we have been allowed by FBI to play his message, due what he has to say." The reporter stated on the news. 

And a video of Jake with his dark hood up, hiding his face completely came on, making me choke as I looked at him. 

"For many years this man, Dominique McGreggor has done serious crimes against people." Jake had spoke, his voice changer disguising his actual voice. "And for many years, he has gotten away with his crimes, paying off authorities and government officials to continue his criminal activities of hurting people." 

I felt myself just fall in complete awe as I raised to my knees and folded my hands together. I heard thenothers murmuring just as in awe as I did. 

"Ten years ago, there was a Detective who investigating this man and his criminal offenses, trying to prove what he was doing. McGreggor lashed out, hurting someone that was close to the Detective. I will not mention this person's name for their own safety and privacy. Those with knowledge will know of this person. And those who know this person knows they did not deserve the torture they went through. McGreggor did terribly things to this person. Months of brutality against them. Raped them. All for the sake of hurting the Detective who was doing something right. 

"I have come to know this person, myself and I will not allow them to be hunted any longer! For ten years this person was hunted in fear from McGreggor and his organization. For ten years, their life has been halted by hiding in fear and pain for the knowledge that they hold against this man and his organization. No more!" Jake had raised his voice sharply. 

"I have uploaded all security footages of McGreggor's dealings to the internet for all to see. I have shown the world of what this vile man does. I have listed every partnership he has dealt with in criminal activities. From businessmen to Government officials who has made deals with McGreggor. All will be exposed for the world to see." Jake spoke rather dangerously. 

"A message to McGreggor, himself, I have bypassed all of your offshore accounts, as well your official ones and exposed many cases of embezzlement on your part. You have murdered people, tortured them, raped them of any happiness because of greed and power. In punishment for your crimes, I have opened all accounts of yours and donated quite a sum of money to many different charities across the globe. You have been exposed and I highly doubt you can talk your way or pay your way out of this one with only $5000 to your name. Any attempt to reverse the donations will cause what I like to call The Hydra Effect. Any attempt to reverse the money you so graciously donated to charities will cause the sums to split off like heads of the mythical beast and multiple into other charities." 

I felt myself now grinning as I listened to Jake's message. 

"I will be watching you, McGreggor and your organization very closely. You will face justice for the murder of the Detective and many others and serve your time you deserve. And if you try and hurt the person I care about, I will utterly destroy you in more ways than you can imagine and expose you over and over again." Jake said, his disguised voice quite sinister actually but it still made me grin. 

"I will be watching and waiting for your next move. And if it's against the one I am now protecting, an innocent person, you will regret it. The world now knows what kind of person you are. And I do hope that people will realize just how wrong you are of the power you now have lost." Jake warned before the screen crackled as a red eye appeared and the video ended. 

I felt my smile widen as I looked at Jake, who smiled at me and winked. I turned to glance up at Herb, who now muted the TV and folded his arms, trying to look serious. 

But failing. 

"So.....?" I began. 

"So," Herb began with a chuckle. "With every evidence that has just been exposed, I'd have to say, McGreggor is royally fucked. The FBI Agency has decided to take all evidence that has been exposed online and use it against Domonique McGreggor in his trial. You might not even have to go to trial to testify. The higher ups want a detailed written statement by you but for your safet, they don't want you in the same room as that man. He won't be able to get out of this." He grinned. "Meaning, he's being arrested right now, along with thousands of other people who has been listed as his partners. There is a massive arrest going on back home, meaning it might be better if we stay here just a little longer until the chaos is over." 

Everyone in the room suddenly cheered and screamed happily as the excitement exploded. 

I just felt a happy sob burst out of me as I turned and folded myself back into Jake's embrace. He held me close as I held him tightly. 

"I told you. I have no intention of being separated from you." Jake said as he held me. 

I just kissed him as an answer.


	13. A New Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter

I would like to say that was my happily ever after, that I moved to Duskwood, had great friends, a wonderful boyfriend and that I was safe. 

Well.....

Most of that ended up being true. 

I did move to Duskwood and now had my own apartment near The Aurora, actually living in the same area as Jessy. 

I had great friends out of Duskwood. I even got along with most of the residents, who knew I was and what role I played to bring Hannah Donfort back alive. They would wave to me and say hi and just be great neighbors in general. 

I had a wonderful boyfriend and yes, Jake officially asked me out finally not long before he exposed a Millionaire Criminal. 

But I wasn't safe. 

I thought I was but I wasn't. 

Because after three months of living in Duskwood, and still having to go to trial because McGreggor's lawyers were sharks and demanded that I face McGreggor or admit that I lied and had a Hacker completely incriminate their client.

Herb had tried everything with the Agency to block me from having to go, even Jake had participated in the attempt to keep me from going by digging up dirt on the lawyers.

Problem was, one of the lawyers didn't have dirt that was recorded electronically and he was very good at twisting words. 

Eventually there was no choice but to go and face McGreggor and while I had been terrified, I did get some comfort to know that Jake would be allowed to go with me. 

For his own protection, he couldn't sit with me or interact with me but Sissa stayed with him as he was at least close by and I did have guards around me, watching the proceedings carefully. 

And McGreggor, when brought into the courtroom in handcuffs and shackles, glared at me the entire time during the next three days of the roughest fight against him. 

I unfortunately did have to relive the memories of what had happened to me and it did mean Jake got to hear it too, much to my embarrassment and shame, which he would comfort me either way after the courtroom was adjourned for the jury to process everything they heard and seen. 

I had to see the pictures of myself when I had been rescued, memories of being brutalized again. See the pictures.....of my dad when he had been murdered and that hurt so much that Herb ended up holding me the entire time while questions were asked.

Nonetheless, the exposed footages that had been revealed was against McGreggor and while the lawyers of the once Millionaire did try and fight about it being the invasion of privacy, it didn't turn out so well for McGreggor because there was no proof of my involvement in the exposure. 

Jake had made sure I never was linked to what he did and he covered his tracks a lot better than McGreggor ever did. 

No one knew that he was NYM-OS. 

No one but few in the FBI but they never recorded it in any files whatsoever that he was a hacker at all. Herb and Sissa basically only knew that he was thenone and the others were hand picked by my guardian to know and they were well trusted by Herb. 

McGreggor was sentenced to life in a maximum prison with no parole and a possible death sentence because of his plot of murdering a Senator. 

It was over. 

Other than that McGreggor's last statement was he would get revenge no matter what even if he was sentenced to death. He swore that even if he had been exposed, I would die. 

His last death threat towards me shook me to the core but I believed it was over and I could finally move on with my life.

For ten to eleven years, I had lived in complete fear of being killed because of what I went through at twelve years old. I had lived locked in a house, always watching the outside as life progressed. I had nightmares almost every night because of my experiences. I had to have a dog as a sleeping companion because of my fear. 

I couldn't have gone outside. I couldn't have had friends to hang out with and go do things with. I missed my entire high school experience other than taking online courses and being taught by FBI personnel. I never got to go to school dances. Never had a boyfriend. 

McGreggor had taken everything from me. He took the closest person in my life for protecting me. 

And now......all of a sudden I had a freedom I never had before and honestly I didn't know how to deal with that. I was scared that my new life could be taken away like that. 

But.....that's why I had my friends now. 

After the trial was over and my tormentors were now imprisoned, my friends orchestrated a huge party in my new home town and everyone participated. 

The entire town had decorated with different things that I missed out on and it made me start to cry as one section of town was a high school dance, one was a shopping gallery like a mall and so on and so forth. Phil provided music and drinks, the church provided refreshments, and so on.

It was party for me and while it did overwhelm me quite a bit, I have never been so happy in my life to have all of these wonderful people. 

That night, Jake asked me to be his girlfriend, officially. 

So fast forward a few weeks after the trial, I was now living in peace and fun with my friends and family. We did so much together. I got a job at The Aurora, thanks to Phil. And while he did flirt with me just aggravate Jake, Phil did stay professional when I was working.

Nonetheless, I was living happily with everyone and I even got the opportunity to stop dying my hair black to hide my true appearance. Everyone was surprised to find out that I had golden blonde hair hidden under the black. 

Still, Jake and my relationship grew strong with each other and eventually we did become physical with one another but I'm not going into the details of our sex life. 

However there was one thing that did come up and it opened up a whole new mystery for me and my friends to solve. It was something that never came up when it should have. 

If Hannah hadn't texted me and sent my number to Thomas, which started all of this.......who had?

And who was the masked man I saw in the forest when it hadn't been any of the kidnappers?


	14. Past

So my new job at The Aurora was not only a server but I also was in charge of DJ'ing because I had such wonderful taste in music. I did play around with music in my time of isolation when I was growing up and did have quite an affinity for mixing music.

Friday nights ended up being Karaoke night and let me tell you, it was damn hilarious when Dan tried to sing Britney Spears songs after having a few shots. 

Nonetheless, after weeks of having a new found freedom of not having to hide from murderous gang members, I had a new appreciation for life. I did more things in the outdoors with all of my friends then I ever had. We went swimming in the lake when it was warm, we went camping and I did get to do the Dare House Challenge.

Richy wasn't kidding about it being terrifying. 

I had so tempted of turning around after knocking on the door three times and as I was walking away, I could have sworn the door had opened. It took everything I had not to turn around or start running.

We had so much fun together, all of my friends and Jake and I. 

I was never so happy in my life than I was now. 

I still sometimes had nightmares but I would wake up in Jake's arms, with him running fingers through my hair because I always woke him up from crying. He knew that I still suffered from my experiences and he was always there when I would wake up.

Surprisingly enough, things did get weird though. 

And it had nothing to do with mysteries or murders or kidnappings. 

And his name was Herb, my legal guardian even though I was an adult. 

Herb moved to Duskwood and his original excuse, while it be true, was to watch over me because of the death threat that McGreggor had given me still rattled us a little bit. 

But the truth became very clear. 

Because once Mrs Victoria Donfort did divorce her murderous husband, who was now in prison for life, Herb began hanging out more and more around her and that......was......weird for me, Jake, Hannah and Lilly. 

Especially when he started spending the night, which caused Jake to start spending the night at my apartment which I didn't mind because we got to spend some quality alone time together.

While Hannah, Lilly and Jake liked Herb because he had gotten shit done and Hannah had been found, they did not like to think about him dating their mom. 

Either way, we were moving on with our lives but the talk did come up about the case we all had worked on. All of us were aware that one mystery hadn't been solved yet and that was who had sent my number to Thomas when Hannah hadn't. 

None of us, not even Herb could figure it out. Not even Jake could trace the number when he began looking into it.

Whoever sent my number from Hannah's phone, was unreachable. And we still hadn't found her phone either. We found her but her phone.....nope. We had no idea what Alan had done with it. 

When questioned about it, it had taken some time to get Alan to confess that he threw the phone in the lake, which would be impossible to find. It was still weird because he said he did it as he was carrying Hannah to the cavern system where he had kept her all that time.

So meaning.....I shouldn't have been getting the pictures and files I had been getting when I did.

The whole thing was odd. 

I even told everyone about what I had seen in the forest that lead me to finding Hannah and while everyone was skeptical about it, even myself, Jessy was on a fire because she was convinced that I had seen the real Man Without a Face, Butcher Green. 

Even I was skeptical about that. 

I don't know who I had seen but I was pretty sure it wasn't some ghost of the 1800's century. That was just too much to comprehend for even me. 

Thing was, we talked about it, tried looking into it but couldn't find anything. 

Herb had even gotten Geological guides to start combing through the Duskwood forest and even went over the forest in a helicopter to map out the entire forest so that they could make a decent map so people wouldn't get lost again. 

And he didn't find anything to indicate that a masked man was running around the forest as a Duskwood Legend. 

So life went on. 

And things eventually got hairy again because a blast of my past was about to make an appearance again that would scare the living hell out of me that would remind me that while I was free of being hunted by gang members........I wasn't as free as I had thought. 

Friday night, Karaoke night......that's when He showed up. 

The Aurora was having a big Karaoke party and many were of us was just having a grand old time. 

I was mixing music, having a few drinks though keeping it at a level because I was on the job, dancing with my boyfriend during breaks and laughing at Dan as he attempted to sing Britney Spears songs.

All of my friends were there, having a good time. 

I had just gotten done mixing one of the songs, making my way up to the bar and only pausing to kiss Jake as he was sorely beating Richy and Thomas at a game of pool when I almost ran into a guy when turning around to dance towards Phil as he had an order ready for me to deliver. 

"Oops, excuse me! Sorry!" I had said as I moved around the guy. 

However he grabbed my arm, halting me and I flinched a little bit because other than Jake, I didn't like being grabbed. 

"Excuse me, I'm sorry. But do I know you?" The guy had asked. 

I took one look at this guy, looking him over. He looked vaguely familiar to me but I couldn't recall it at all. He was a good looking guy with smooth back black hair, chiseled face, well groomed in a deep purple shirt and black slacks. His eyes were dark brown and familiar but I didn't think I knew him. 

He was probably just a guy who was going to hit on me, and believe me, I got plenty of it. 

So I pulled my arm away, shaking my head as I turned away. "Sorry, no. I don't think so. I'm a server here in The Aurora, so if you need a drink I can get you one." I told him but was making my way towards the bar. 

He followed me, which made me uneasy. 

"Wait.....aren't you Ember?" The man asked, as he followed me.

I sighed but turned to face him. I knew he must have heard about me around this town and decided to hit me up, thinking I was easy. I had Jake and I had no interest in anyone else. Not even in Phil, who hit on me once in awhile just to annoy Jake. 

"Yes, I am. No, I'm not interested. No, you can't have my number. I am dating someone and I have no intention to cheat on him, even for some fun. I have plenty of fun with him by the way. Now I'm working. So if you'd like a drink, I can give you that." I said irritably.

The man blinked at me before smiling and forcing a light laugh. "Wow. You haven't changed all that much, have you? And I'm offended that you forgot about me." He remarked now playfully. 

I frowned, now confused as I looked at him. I didn't get what he meant......

And then it clicked. 

I did know who he was. I haven't seen him in eleven or twelve years but I knew that face, those eyes from anywhere. I used to stare at them as a pre-teen all of the time before.....I had been kidnapped. 

My mouth fell open in surprise but the icy cold settled in as I felt my blood drain from my face. I nearly felt my heart stop in terror when I realized who this was. "Dylan?!" I blurted out. "Dylan Richfield?!" 

The man just smiled as he looked at me. "Yeah, remember me now.......?" He was saying. 

And just as the terror came, so did the rage and before even I knew what I was doing, my hand came up and I slapped him hard across the face. 

All activities in the bar stopped immediately as everyone heard that.

Dylan's head had whipped to the side and his eyebrows had raised and he pursed his lips in an embarrassed way but he nodded to himself. 

"Yep, you remember me. And you're still mad at me." He remarked before looking at me as I full out glared at him. "Still have that good right palm too." 

"Go. Away, Dylan." I merely growled at him fiercely before stiffening when I felt a soft hand on my back and I looked over my shoulder to see Jake there, now frowning deeply at the man before me. "Hey." I said now softly when I felt my anger now dimming. 

"What's going on? Did he say something to you? Touch you?" Jake asked looking at me with concern. 

"That's what I want to know." I heard Phil as he even stepped up to the bar near us, already reaching under for his metal bat and placing it on the counter. 

"No," I interrupted Dylan before he could say something. "He's just leaving the bar. No, he's leaving town. Now." I said rather coldly. 

"Yep. You're still mad." Dylan said now dropping his head rather playfully and folded his arms. 

"Is that right?" Phil asked now stonily but nodded. "Okay. That's all I need to know from my favorite employee and best friend. You want to walk out on your own or do I need Dan to escort you?"

Dylan huffed as he gave Phil a look and then turned back to face me. "Five minutes, please. Just give me five minutes to explain why I came here looking for you, Ember." He said now impatiently. 

I gave a sharp laugh and folded my arms as I stepped back next to Jake, who did raise an arm to block Dylan when he tried stepping forward. "No, I don't want to hear anything from you. Should I call Herb? I'm sure he's got plenty to say to you." I stated heatedly. 

"I came to apologize, Ember." Dylan said now making a blank stare at me. 

I gave another harsh laugh, shaking my head before moving forward and jabbing a finger into Dylan's chest to make him step back. "Apologize for what, Dylan?! For breaking my heart at 12 years old? Oh, no for opening your fucking mouth after you promised me you wouldn't tell anyone that my dad was investigating your uncle, Dylan?!" I jabbed him again now starting to back him towards the door of the bar. "You are the reason why I was kidnapped! Why I was tortured, Dylan! You told your mom that my dad was hired by the FBI to watch Dominique! And I was stupid enough to trust you because you were my best friend at 12 years old, and my first crush and you promised me that you would never tell anyone after I stupidly told you about it after you pressured me to tell you! And guess what happened?! I was kidnapped because of you! You do not get to come here to Duskwood to harrass me after what YOUR uncle put me through! Go away!" I snapped before turning from Dylan to look at Phil. 

Before I could say anything, Phil nodded, now waving at me. "Yeah, go home. You're dismissed for the rest of the night. Drink a bottle of whiskey with Jake." He paused to put a bottle on the counter for me to grab. He looked at Jake, who nodded as he handed his pool stick to Dan. "Take her home. Love on her to calm her down. You," Phil pointed at Dylan. "Out of my bar now. Get out of town or you will be chased out. Anyone related to the bastard who put her through hell is not welcomed here. I'm calling Herb." He was already pulling out his phone.

I allowed Jake to put his arm around me and now was steering me towards the door, glaring at Dylan, who looked beaten already. I didn't even want to look at him. 

"Leave Duskwood and do not return." I heard Jake growl before he lead me out into the night. "Who was that?" He added as we were now making our way down the street towards me apartment. 

I visibly deflated against his arms, feeling so tired. I felt everything just drain from my body, even my energy. I felt the fear creeping up on me again from the past as memories came flooding back. 

"My 12 year old first boyfriend. Ex-Boyfriend." I murmured miserably. "He's Domonique McGreggor's nephew. He's responsible for what happened to me and for the murder of my dad."


	15. Closer

That night, I didn't want to talk about it. 

I just wanted to get drunk, forget the memories that came flooding back at me. I just wanted to go on with my life, not having to think about it. 

But.....I think Jake wasn't going to let me because he was still watching me from my couch as I drank another shot. It was after my fifth shot, he came over and took it away from me, making me pout at him. 

"I know you don't want to talk about it but it's not going to do any good just drinking like that." He had said softly before crouching down in front of me and taking my shaky hands. "I've already heard it all, Ember. I was at the trial, remember?" 

I sighed as I closed my eyes before I felt him take my hand and I clutched onto him as if I was desperate. "Okay. Okay....." I paused to think. "I met.....Dylan in grade school. Fourth grade. He was a little rich boy, one of the most popular kids in school because his mom was Domonique McGreggor's sister. They've always been a rich family. Dylan was popular because of how much wealth he came from. Everyone wanted to be his friend." I began telling him. 

Jake rubbed my hand gently, before grabbing another chair at my table and pulling it close so he could sit. 

"Anyway, I think I might have been the only one in the entire school who didn't care for being the rich boy's friend. I didn't fawn over him like everyone else did. And that's what caught his attention to me. He hated the attention he was getting." I explained. "He just wanted to be a normal kid, learning in school and never worrying about grown up things, such as money. He reached out to me instead and wanted to be friends. So I let him. We became best friends growing up. Eventually I kind of grew a crush on him. We were eleven when he asked me to be his childhood sweetheart. But....." I paused.

"Your dad started investigating Domonique McGreggor?" Jake asked solemnly. 

I just nodded. "Yeah." I said forcefully. "His uncle. I overheard my dad and Herb discussing it and I had to hide that for a month on my own because I knew what kind of person Domonique was. Dylan used to tell me all of the time that he didn't like his uncle. Even towards family, McGreggor was cold. So when I found out, and Dylan realized something was wrong with me for a month, he swore he would never tell anyone if I told him. And because he was my best friend and childhood boyfriend, I believed him. So I told him that my dad was investigating Domonique. He promised he wouldn't say anything. A week after I told him, I'm walking home from school and a guy snatches me right off the street, shoving me into a van." 

Jake sighed as he now stood up and pulled me with him towards the couch where sat down and I curled into his arms. 

"Four months, Jake. For four months I was in a dark room, being beaten, harrassed, raped. Hurt." I said my voice now shaking as tears started to flood. "And when dad and Herb got me out finally, I felt like just dying. I wished for death so many times. I was in the hospital with guards at me door for two months when Dylan came to see me. He told me, himself that he told his mom. And that's how we found out it was him. I slapped him then too." I said with a sob. 

Jake shifted me until I was completely in his lap, his arms tight around me. He held me for the longest time as I cried. 

"I....I to-told him that it was his fault and that I never wanted to see him again. And look! He decides to come back!" I sobbed as I clutched onto him.

"You don't have to see him or talk to him if you don't want to. In fact I don't even want him near you either. Especially when he was your first boyfriend." Jake stated as he hugged me. 

I couldn't help but laugh as I pulled away and wiped my eyes. "Don't be jealous, Jake. He's got no chance of winning me back. I don't like him at all. I like you and only you. If anything does happen between us, and we break up, which will never happen, it'd be probably be Phil who has got the closest chance. But Phil and I are just friends and he knows that. He only flirts with me just to piss you off." I said before kissing him.

Jake chuckled against my lips before shifting me to straddle his waist, his hands now inching their way up the back of my shirt to touch my bare skin. "Good. Because I'm never letting you go. Not when I have you now." He said before deepening the kiss and embracing me against him. 

I felt my worries starting to drift away as the heat began to rise from my belly. I was feeling my fears melting away and only Jake could do that.

Tilting my head to the side as I felt Jake kissing my neck, his fingers now tracing upward until they touched the clasp of my bra. 

"Why don't we go to bed? It's been a stressful night." I said against his temple as he continued to rub my skin. 

"Not really tired." Jake said softly as he trailed kisses down my neck to where he gently pulled my shirt to the side and began kissing my shoulder. 

"Neither am I." I said huskily as my hands reached downward in between us for his belt. 

Jake was immediately tightening his hold on me and standing up with my legs now wrapped around his waist. He proceeded to just carry me into our bedroom, kicking the door shut before carrying mento the bed. 

And that's where I am leaving that. I would go unto explicit details where we made love all night but.....that's between us. 😘

The very next morning, I awoke, naked next to Jake, hearing someone pounding on our door. 

By the urgency of the pounding, and knowing that fist anywhere, I just groaned as I burrowed my head into my pillow. I really didn't want to deal with Herb right now. 

I just wanted to roll over and go to sleep. I hadn't been drunk the night before but after dealing with Dylan and then being up late in the evening being fucked out of my mind by the one I really loved, I did have a headache and I didn't need Herb adding to it. 

Unfortunately I had forgotten he had a key to my apartment. 

So when he threw my door open and came stomping into my bedroom, just to see me yanking my sheets over my bare chest and jerking Jake awake. I glared at Herb, whose angry face vanished and turned red. 

"Herb, you could have called to wake us up." I growled at him as Jake rolled over onto his back to glower at the FBI Agent. 

"Get dressed. We need to talk about this." Herb said now sighing in embarrassment before pulling the door shut. 

"I swear, he had it coming." Jake grumbled but was stretching and moving to kiss me, which I returned. 

I just shook my head as I tossed the sheets off of both of us and moved to start grabbing some clothes. "Come on, lover boy. Let's just get dressed before he decides to interrogate us butt naked." I grumbled as I began throwing on clothes. 

Once we were dressed and now making coffee, I turned my attention to Herb, who still couldn't look at me after walking in on us. 

"So...." I began as I sipped my coffee. 

"So," Herb said stiffly still not looking at me. "Dylan is in town, is he?" 

"Yep. And Herb, it's your own fault. You should have called this morning. You know Jake and I sleep together. So just look at me." I grumbled at him. 

Rolling his eyes, Herb finally did but with a hard look. "What does he want?" He asked me. 

I shrugged and leaned against Jake as he wrapped an arm around my waist and sipped his own coffee. "He said he wanted to apologize for getting me kidnapped and getting dad killed. He thinks an apology is going to make things okay again." I stated though the bitterness was still in my tone. 

"That's all he said?" Herb asked. 

I shrugged again. "Yes but probably not why. I am fully aware of his connection to McGreggor. If he thinks for one second I am going to trust him, he's got another thing coming. I want him to go away, Herb. I don't want anything to do with him." I told him.

Herb was stonefaced but he nodded. "And I agree. Unfortunately, we can't do anything about him being here. Because we don't have anything on him to make him leave and he just bought land off the west side of Duskwood forest." He stated. 

I felt cold as my heart nearly stopped at his words and even Jake had stiffened.

"What?! Are you fucking kidding me?!" I exclaimed now pulling away from Jake to face Herb. "Please tell me you're joking!" 

Herb shook his head as he looked at me wearily. "No, I'm afraid not. Dylan doesn't have a criminal record, Ember. He was never proven to have anything to do with your kidnapping, other than he spilled the beans to his mother about your dad investigating Domonique. He was a kid at the time and his mom did emotionally abuse him to telling her. The courts wouldn't hold that against him because of his age. And even then, he's stayed out of trouble unlike his uncle. He's quite the opposite in records. And done a massive amount of charity work. His inheritance he did recieve from his uncle, he donated every bit of it to charities, never taking anything from Domonique. He made his own money by starting businesses in Lumber and even in recycling. It's why he bought land. He plans to cut down trees but also replace them as he does so he doesn't demolish forests. He's been doing it for years." He explained. 

I felt my rage just burning. It was not what I ever wanted to hear. I might have been friends with Dylan as a kid but when I had been kidnapped, that friendship was gone. And now all of a sudden, he was just waltzing right back in my life and by the sounds of it, I couldn't do anything about it. 

"Herb......I can't deal with him." I said now frustrated. 

"And you don't have to. Problem is, we can't stop him either from being here. He now lives here and he has a business opening up. He's creating bigger jobs for people. And unfortunately unless you have probable cause, which you don't, you can't get a restraining order either. Not unless he starts harassing you." Herb said sighing.

I groaned, deflating as it made sense but it didn't mean I had to like it. "As long as he leaves me the hell alone." I grumbled.

"I could try and find something on him." Jake offered. 

Herb immediately pointed at him, shaking his head. "No, Jake. No hacking excursions. It was apart of the agreement that kept you from going to jail for the previous stuff. You're on contract with the FBI that the only time you get to hack is when we put you on something. But no more hacking." He said firmly. 

Jake scowled but nodded. I even had to agree with it. It was to keep him from getting into trouble. He had signed an agreement that after exposing McGreggor, he wouldn't do it anymore. Not without permission at least from Herb.

"We're just going to have to watch him. We don't have anything on him but if he starts bothering you in any way, just call me all right?" Herb said before standing up. 

"And you call before showing up unannounced and you won't have to catch us naked." I said rather cheekily. 

Herb glowered at me, shaking his head. He decided not to comment on that one at all. I knew fully well he liked Jake and he did approve of him but he was like my dad. He did not like that I might be moving a little fast with him. He did not to think about us sleeping together and I knew later he would bring it up with me. 

Just not right now. 

However we had something else to worry about and that was Dylan, my blast from the past that I did not want returning. I swear, he was going to cause problems. 

I just didn't know how much.


End file.
